JLMN Community Service Awards

We were awed by the young people who won this year's JLMN Community Service Awards, which included a $500 scholarship and a certificate. Collectively, they have volunteered more than 1200 hours! 

Julia Tolmachyov, senior, Glen Ridge High School
Julie is involved with SCEEP, a tutoring and mentoring program for 2nd grade students from Newark.  She has also volunteered with the Girls Club of Glen Ridge since 2010, and currently serves on the Executive Board as the Treasurer. Julia has volunteered during the summer months with Succeed 2Gether Volunteer Program, where she tutored underprivileged students in subjects such as math, science and writing skills, and organized games and activities for the students. Other volunteer activities include Human Needs Food Pantry and Glen Ridge High School Peer Tutor program. 

Gabrielle Nicole Guidry, senior, Montclair High School
Gabrielle is a Girl Scout Ambassador is currently working towards completing the Gold Award, which is the highest award a Girl Scout can achieve.  She earned the Girl Scout Bronze award in 2007, and the Girl Scout Silver award in 2011. During the summer of 2012 Gabrielle served as a People to People Student Ambassador.  She traveled to India to represent the United States of America and while there, she earned 50 hours of community service by tutoring children and other activities. She also volunteers with the Montclair Public Library’s Teen Advisory Board and with Apostle’s House. For the last 3 summers, Gabrielle has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity.

Kendall Smith, senior, at Glen Ridge High School
Kendall is involved with SCEEP and volunteers weekly tutoring 5th grade students. She has also participated with the North Jersey affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.  Kendall was instrumental in organizing a town-wide coin drive, creating and selling 400 handmade pink & white rubber band bracelets, soliciting financial donations, acquiring donations of hundreds of prizes for the children’s games, and creating activities, setting up, staffing, and helping to run the entire event. During her Junior year, Kendall volunteered with MESH, Montclair Emergency Services for the Homeless, and currently, as a Senior, she serves as a liaison.  Kendall also volunteers with the Girls Club of Glen Ridge and currently serves on the Executive Board as the President.

David C. Bovich, senior at St. Peter’s Prep, resides in Verona
As an Eagle Scout, David raised $2700 to purchase the necessary materials to construct a food pantry in his high school. He led a team of 13 volunteers in painting the pantry and constructing and installing a new hung ceiling, room lighting, electrical outlets, a sink, a dehumidifier, shelving, a freezer, and sorting tables.  He now volunteers in the student run food pantry, and solicits, collects, delivers, sorts, and stocks the food drive donations. For the past 3 years, David has also volunteered with Interfaith Hospitality Network in Montclair and has also volunteered with Habitat for Humanity helping to build and repair homes in the inner city. Other activities include volunteering at Christine’s Soup Kitchen and having fundraised for and participated in the Annual Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Run.