ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS- Demonstrating community involvement, values and helpfulness, the Atlantic Highlands Teachers’ Association awarded high school senior, Paige Huff, with the Robin Vaccarelli Scholarship.
Each year since 2008, the Atlantic Highlands Teachers’ Association has awarded a former Atlantic Highlands Elementary School student who is graduating, a $1,000 scholarship to assist with his/her college tuition. The scholarship is given to a student who plans to pursue a college education in teaching or service such as nursing, social work, etc., according to a prepared statement for the association.
During the Henry Hudson Awards ceremony, Susan Evans, the chairperson of the Robin Vaccarelli Scholarship Committee presented the scholarship to Paige, on June 15 at Henry Hudson High Regional School, located at 1 Grand Tour, Highlands.
Paige, 17, is attending Monmouth University in the fall to receive her degree in nursing and she was not aware that she won the scholarship until the day of the awards ceremony, according to Evans.
“Paige submitted her application to us and showed all of the qualities that Mrs. Vaccarelli instilled in her students: kindness, ethics, and a desire to give back to her community. Paige was very involved in her school, extra curricular activities and also participated in many community service projects, particularly helping out the community after Superstorm Sandy, which affected our community so dramatically,” Evans said.
The scholarship was started to honor Robin Vaccarelli, a teacher at Atlantic Highland Elementary School who passed away in 2007. Vaccarelli’s colleagues felt it was important to keep her enthusiasm for education and students in the fore. The Atlantic Highlands teachers created the Robin Vaccarelli Scholarship Fund for this purpose with the emphasis on assisting a student who is pursuing a career in education or another helping profession, according to a prepared statement.
“I am absolutely honored to have been selected for this scholarship, which will go a long way in helping me achieve my educational and career goals. I know what an influence she had on students and her fellow teachers. I hope I can have that impact on others in my career as well. Doing so will honor her legacy,” Paige said.
The applicant needs to write two essays to apply: one must describe why they are choosing the field they are pursuing and two they must describe a teacher that impacted them in their school career. Then, there is a team of teachers who go through the applications and select select the one who embodied what Vaccarelli looked for and inspired in all of her students, according to Evans.
“I applied for the scholarship. I had to complete the application as well as compose an essay about a teacher who impacted me. My essay was about my English teacher, Mrs. Jessica Merrigan, who had a big influence on my work in that class and my outlook on life,” Paige said. “I always knew I wanted a career where I could have an impact on people. However, it was not until both of my grandparents became sick that I discovered nursing would be the path for me to do that. I have several family members who are nurses and they would often talk about their work. I admired what they did, but it wasn’t until my family members were sick that I fully understood how they changed lives. In the hospital, I watched them, and the hospital nurses, interact with my sick relatives… I could see the knowledge they had. I could sense the real-time decisions they were making. It was then I knew I wanted to do the same.”
In addition, the Robin Vaccarelli Scholarship Fund award, the association awards the “Student of the Year” prize to a sixth grader at Atlantic Highlands Elementary and assists with defraying the cost of the Camp Bernie trip for a student whose family needs assistance, according to prepared statement.
To make a donation towards the Robin Vaccarelli Scholarship fund contact Susan Evans at sevans@ahes.k12.nj.us.
Contact Vashti Harris at vharris@newspapermediagroup.com.
