NJ Public Charter School Awards Alumna With DICE Scholarship

Press release from HoLa:

July 27, 2021

Hoboken Dual Language Charter School (HoLa) today announced that their Diversity, Inclusion, Community & Equity Committee (DICE) has awarded its inaugural alumni scholarship, funded by the Friends of HoLa organization, to Angelle Garrido Pascal, a 2021 graduate of Jose Marti Stem Academy who attended HoLa for grades 6-8. Angelle will be attending Rutgers University in the fall to study biochemistry. Angelle, an honor roll student and frequent community service volunteer, is receiving the DICE scholarship for her demonstration of HoLa’s core values of integrity, scholarship, kindness, global citizenship, and innovation in action over the course of her high school career.

Using the foundation in the Spanish language that she honed at HoLa to serve her community, Angelle volunteered her time at the Palisades Family Success Center two days a week, helping migrant children complete homework and providing other tutoring assistance. A key part of Angelle’s volunteerism was helping with the translation of students’ homework, a selfless use of the multilingual skills that she honed as an HoLa student and summer camp counselor. Angelle has also received the NJDOE Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish.

“Supporting our former students and encouraging them to bring the lessons they learn here at HoLa with them wherever they end up is part of what makes our work so rewarding,” said Jen Sargent, HoLa’s Executive Director. “We are so proud of Angelle for everything she has done for her community and how she has continued to use her multilingual skills to help others. This scholarship is a recognition and a celebration of all of her hard work.”

Angelle’s commitment to service through her multilingual ability makes her an exemplar of HoLa’s core values and a stellar inaugural recipient of this scholarship. “My time at HoLa created a foundation of values that I continue to carry with me to this day. Thanks to HoLa, I have been able to use my Spanish skills to help others in my community,” said Angelle Garrido Pascal. “I’m so thankful for this scholarship and I’m so proud to continue carrying part of HoLa with me when I go off to college.”

“Friends of HoLa is committed to supporting HoLa’s students and alumni, mission, and core values in all forms,” said Marina Palombini, President of Friends of HoLa. “The DICE scholarship is an important way to continue supporting these core values and extending these principles into the world beyond HoLa’s walls as our students continue their academic careers to college.”

By awarding an alumnus with such a generous scholarship, HoLa is demonstrating its commitment to keeping in touch with students and helping them succeed even after they graduate. By continuing to communicate with and support HoLa graduates after they move on to high school and college, HoLa never loses sight of the great students it prepares for the world, and continues to remind them of the importance of the lessons they learned while at the school.

All alumni graduating high school who attended HoLa were eligible to apply for the DICE scholarship. The DICE committee is made up of a group of HoLa educators who review applications through a blind process to allow for an unbiased selection. Funding for this scholarship was provided by Friends of HoLa.

This press release was produced by HoLa. The views expressed here are the author's own.