Each year, the Civic Council grants a Scholarship for Community Service to one graduate of each of the three secondary schools in the John Jay High School building who are college-bound and, more importantly, can demonstrate meaningful volunteer service during high school.
This scholarship award goes back to the days of Manual Training High School in the early 1960s, when we would present one or two modest awards of a few hundred dollars each. More recently, through the sponsorship and support of Rosemarie and Francis J. Kazeroid, Mary Laverne Allman, and Evelyn and Everett Ortner, and the success of our inaugural “Food for Thought” fund-raiser in October 2012, we’ve been able to increase each award to $1,500, which is a big help for the three winners with their college expenses. And we will soon have a fourth student to honor — the first of the graduating class from the building’s new Millennium Brooklyn High School.
These Scholarships for Community Service are awarded every June, at the Civic Council’s general membership meeting. School staff, parents, and family are always invited to share in this proud and moving event.
This year’s scholarship winners were (pictured left to right) Jannatul Ferdous, Gleacy Mejia and Angelique Barreto.) Ms. Ferdous graduated from the Park Slope Collegiate School and will attend Antioch College. Ms. Mejia graduated from the Secondary School for Journalism and will attend John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Ms. Barreto graduated from the Secondary School for Law and will attend La Guardia Community College.
The Scholarship program has had a positive impact on our relationship with everyone in the John Jay building. Our committee has been warmly welcomed by staff and students. We have gotten to know all of them, but perhaps more importantly, they are starting to get to know us. They have expressed appreciation and gratitude for our dedication to furthering an ongoing link between school and community.
These scholarships offer us all the chance to connect us in a most rewarding way.
E-mail the committee at scholarships@parkslopeciviccouncil.org to help with this important work.
Photo by Joe Rydell