tee who chose them, but by their en- tire community. Everyone who wrote a check had a part in their success.” To that end, the committee is dedi- cated to making the application as straightforward as possible, and works with students to make sure they have everything they need. And while the application is not taxing, the board is looking for students who demonstrate both need and a commitment to their future. Volunteer work is important, although not required, but gratitude is a prerequisite for receiving the money. Once chosen by the Fund, each recipi- ent must write a thank you note to a specific, assigned donor before money is released. Tugentman stresses that this small act is an important way for the student to take responsibility, and is meaning- ful to both parties. “One student wrote such a beautiful note that brought tears to my eyes; when we know that we made a difference it means a lot to us. We do this because we’re commit- ted to making sure that any child in our community who wants to pursue a career that requires an education can do so if they’re unable to afford it. That’s our big motivation.” At last year’s awards ceremony, sev- eral students expressed their apprecia- tion for the money, and acknowledged the personal nature of the award. Jere- my Dunstin, a freshman at Penn State University who is studying biomedical engineering, said, “They asked me a lot more about myself than other scholar- ships. It reaffirmed that this was an investment in me.” Nitasha Garg, a freshman at William Paterson who is pursuing a nursing degree, agreed. “Other scholarships were more intense and more complicated; I felt like I was going in circles.” Besides taking an interest in stu- dents when they apply, the board members track the students once they’re at school, asking them to fol- low up with information about their schoolwork and how they’re doing in general. This communication enables the fund to adapt, when necessary, to changing interests. This was certainly the case for Fa- gundez, who feared she would lose her award when she decided to switch majors after discovering that she didn’t want to study environmental science long term. “I fell in love with psychol- ogy,” she explains, “but I knew that my CHS scholarship was for some- one pursuing environmental science. I thought, ‘This isn’t a decision I can Brigid Casey, CHSSF Vice President, Elizabeth Aaron, CHS Principal, Madeline Tugent- man, Development Co-chair, and Carol Barry-Austin, Selection Committee Chair. Recent CHS grads at the CHS Scholar- ship Fund Reception. Photo credit: Joanne Fisher feature story / 33 PROSPECT CO-OP PRESCHOOL Where play and learning go hand in hand. 973-763-8955 Call to discuss openings for the 2017-18 school year 646 PROSPECT STREET • MAPLEWOOD www.prospectpreschool.org