JA of New Jersey Announces 2022 High School Hero Scholar Award Recipients

July 28, 2022, Edison, NJ – JA of New Jersey (JANJ) recently recognized its High School Hero Scholar Award recipients at its Annual Board Meeting.

The JA High School Hero Scholar Award was co-founded by Pamela Craig in 2015 to recognize exceptional students who have participated as classroom volunteers through JA High School Heroes, while promoting the significance of education and career preparation. Due to the remarkable generosity, vision, and leadership of Ms. Craig, the Scholar Award Initiative has helped shape the lives of young adults across the state of New Jersey and will continue to for years to come.

JANJ is committed to equipping New Jersey students with the employability and key life skills needed for successful futures. JANJ’s High School Heroes initiative empowers students to be role models as they teach JA to children within their local communities, all the while developing their own leadership, presentation, time management, and collaboration skills. Year after year, thousands of Heroes statewide bring JA’s career readiness, money management, and entrepreneurship learning experiences to life for tens of thousands of children. JA in New Jersey is a no cost solution to the schools and families by providing all materials, lessons, and training.

Similarly, the Weber Capozzoli JROTC Scholar Award recognizes a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) graduate who also served as a JA High School Hero. This Award is in memory of Weber Capozzoli Family members who have served in the armed forces.

“We are proud to support students from diverse backgrounds on their way to becoming the future business leaders of New Jersey. For years we have seen the value of our students’ participation in the JA High School Heroes program, which serves as a pathway for young people to improve their leadership and mentoring skills. We are beaming with pride and wish these High School Hero Scholar Award Recipients the best of luck on their academic journey.” said James Horne, Jr., President & CEO, JANJ.

The six recipients are all 2022 high school graduates from across the state, including:

• Cynthia Kyerewaa, Irvington High School, attending Essex County College
• Daeshawn Lewis, Camden High School, attending Rowan University
• Hentoff Moneus, Irvington High School, attending New Jersey Institute of Technology
• Vivian Ravines, Bridgewater Raritan Regional High School, attending Kean University
• Natalie Wallace, Manchester Township High School, attending Florida State University
• Emily Yang, Scotch Plains - Fanwood High School, attending New York University Stern

To be eligible for the High School Hero Scholar Award, New Jersey applicants must currently serve, or have previously served as a JA High School Hero. Students are required to complete an essay describing their experience with JA, which is then reviewed by the JANJ Scholar Award Panel. Finally, applicants must be a current, graduating High School Senior with plans to attend a higher education institution in 2022, and be able to meet admissions standards for first-time entering students. JANJ will being accepting 2023 scholarship applications in May 2023.

JANJ will continue to celebrate our Heroes as a part of the 2022 - New Jersey Business Hall of Fame™ (NJBHOF) later this year, as event proceeds underwrite unsponsored High School Heroes learning experiences statewide to ensure that all young people involved become financially empowered and gain critical life skills for success. The NJBHOF, as JANJ’s preeminent annual special event, is the state’s leading platform that recognizes remarkable New Jersey executives, our Laureates, for their leadership, innovation, economic impact, and philanthropic and community involvement while inspiring Heroes as our future leaders and Laureates.

About JA of New Jersey (JANJ):

JANJ is an award-winning, best-in-class JA operation. With its headquarters and Capstone programs located in the JA Education Center, in Raritan Center, Edison, NJ, JANJ is a free educational resource dedicated to giving all young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success and plan for their futures. JA’s learning experiences primarily focus on career readiness, financial empowerment, entrepreneurship, and life skills, and are held at the JA Education Center, in schools, on college/university campuses, in corporate facilities, and online through digital learning experiences. For more information, visit www.janj.org and follow JANJ on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.