RBR Source Affiliates Award over $28,000 in Scholarships And Honors Outstanding Service and Community Partnership

At its year-end reception, Red Bank Regional’s (RBR) school based youth services program, The Source honored individuals who have positively impacted the lives of RBR students during the year.  The Source and its affiliates also awarded over $28,000 in scholarships to students.

            RBR Source Director Suzanne Keller recognized RBR math teacher Sunny Lenhard with the “Outstanding Service Award” for recognizing a need in the community and helping to implement a program to address it.  With Mrs. Lenhard’s assistance, the Source was able to organize a community-based tutoring program to aid students who could not access that help offered at the high school building after school hours.  She, along with five of her colleagues and RBR National Honor Society students, tutored the students two evenings a week.  A second recognition, the Community Partnership Award, was given to Lori Hohenlietner, Executive Director of Horizons Student Enrichment Program, which provided assistance for Mrs. Lenhard’s envisioned tutoring program.  In addition, Horizons, a member of the Source Advisory Board, also contributed toward the Andrew Kroon Memorial Scholarship Fund; which for eight years has helped Hispanic students achieve their dream of attending college.

            Suzanne Keller informed the gathering, “To date, 42 students have attended Brookdale Community College through the generous donations for the Andrew Kroon Memorial Scholarship fund.”

            This year, four RBR students, Diana Escalona Cayetano, Mariela Reyes, Jocelyn Rojas Hernandez and Monica Urena Alpizar (all of Red Bank) were awarded that memorial scholarship.  Most poignantly, four other students were present as former scholarship recipients who had recently graduated from Brookdale College.

            Graduate Itzel Perez, who is continuing her education to obtain her bachelor’s degree, told the audience, “I have my Associates Degree in Psychology and Political Science because I love the community and want to help the people in it. None of this would have been possible without the Source scholarships.”

            She added, “This school has been incredible, it has always been there for me.”

            Representing his family, the founder of the memorial scholarship, Richard Kroon congratulated all the winners and graduates as well as Suzanne Keller and her staff, who he stated, “have done an incredible job with these students.”  He also recognized Community leader David Prown and his recruited community members who mentor each student to help them graduate.

            He added, “My son Andrew, who was an incredible lover of everything Hispanic, is up there somewhere saying congratulations to all and that this is just wonderful, just wonderful!”

Beatriz Oesterheld, Executive Director Community Affairs Resource Center, awarded three Latino American Association scholarship awards to RBR Latino students pursuing their college education.

One recipient, Veronica Perez tearfully thanked her benefactors and the high school from which she graduated stating, “I want to express how grateful we are for all you have done for us.

Other scholarships awarded that evening included the Source program awards as well as 2014 memorial scholarships in honor of RBR students Riyadh’na Farrow and Albert Martin, both of Red Bank, who suddenly passed away last year during their senior year. Two other scholarships included the Bleemer-Cerbone Scholarship Award and The Red Bank Community Block Party Scholarship award. The latter is in its inaugural year.

RBR Principal Risa Clay, who founded the Source 14 years ago, stated, “This year, especially, our communities turned toward the Source for support and this support came from the entire staff. I am so proud of our counselors and our staff for the fine work they do. The program is constantly evolving and truly diverse.  Student demographics closely resemble those of the high school. Crisis in teenage lives does not discriminate; it cuts across all socioeconomic lines.”

With an emphasis on the overall optimal health of the students at Red Bank Regional, The Source is a comprehensive program that includes mental health counseling, preventative medical, dental and eye care, employment opportunities and learning support.  The Source is funded by the Department of Children and Families, Division of Prevention and Community Partnerships, The Red Bank Regional Board of Education and the Source Foundation our 501c3 non-profit organization.