Junior League of Summit Awards 2019 Scholarships

SUMMIT, NJ - Amanda Radick, Governor Livingston HS, Rachel Stuart, Governor Livingston HS and Carly Zurla, Governor Livingston HS are the recipients of the annual Shirley Wight Keeney Voluntarism Scholarships to the tune of $3,000 from the Junior League of Summit.

The JLS also offered a Continuing Education Scholarship, which was awarded to Elizabeth Chern.

“The League is always impressed with the caliber of our scholarship applicants, and this year is no exception. The achievements and contributions of these women is an inspiration to us all, and we look forward to seeing what they accomplish as they continue their education,” said Junior League President Erika Melchiorre.

According to the JLS:

"Amanda Radick of Governor Livingston HS will be attending University of Delaware School of Nursing in the fall. Amanda has been an active volunteer in the community starting in kindergarten as a Mountainside Girl Scout where she earned both the Bronze and Silver awards. While in high school, Amanda volunteered several hundred hours with the musical theatre program at Deerfield School in Mountainside helping the actors learn lines, choreography and lyrics. She also managed the backstage crew and worked many weekends painting sets. In addition, Amanda managed multiple varsity teams at Governor Livingston and was the president of the Photo Club. She was also an active member of the GL Student Auxiliary Service Club throughout high school and served in a board position as a Junior and Senior. Since 8th grade, Amanda has worked as a teacher assistant at her religious school and works each summer as a camp counselor. She also volunteers in the Child Life program at St. Barnabas Medical Center. Amanda plans on continuing to give back to the community as an active volunteer in college and beyond."

JLS said this of Stuart:

"Rachel Stuart of Governor Livingston High School will be attending Tulane University in the fall. Rachel has volunteered for Sage Eldercare Meals-On-Wheels since she was very little, with her mom. As she got older she began looking for more opportunities to get involved by coaching special Olympics track and field and also continuing her work with Meals-On-Wheels. She was also very involved in her high school through her involvement in the Red Cross Club and Interact, which are both community outreach organizations that allow her to get involved more in her community. She was also Future Business Leaders of America president and involved in student council throughout high school. When she attends Tulane in the fall she hopes to get involved in the New Orleans culture by volunteering with the community and hopefully getting an internship at a non-profit."

JLS noted this about Zurla:

"Carly Zurla of Governor Livingston High School will be attending the University of Rhode Island. Carly has always been passionate about helping others in her community and in the surrounding areas of New Jersey. When she was 15 years old, she joined the Mountainside Lords Youth Group. As a part of this group, she volunteered her time by sleeping outside every October to raise money for the homeless in Irvington, New Jersey. Along with raising money for the homeless, she would make sandwiches, run car washes, and host candy drives. Carly has also been a part of the Mountainside Rescue Squad where she has given back over 250 hours of service to her community. She was a member of the Cadet Program where she was trained in CPR and administering first aid. Her weekly 4 hour shift included going out on calls, riding in the ambulance, supporting other EMTs and paramedics, and performing rig checks. She also participated in training programs, fundraising and blood drives. Carly has been a member of the Link Crew Leadership Club at Governor Livingston High School. For this club, she is a positive role model for the incoming freshmen and underclassmen. She advises the underclassmen about the importance of their academics and time management skills. She facilitated events such as, speaking with all freshman health classes about drug and alcohol prevention and guiding parents through the adjustment of high school for their children. In high school, Carly has taken many honors and AP courses while being the captain of the JV Volleyball team for 2 years and the captain of the JV tennis team. In addition to her community service and academic excellence, Carly has worked at Kent Place Camp as a counselor for the past two summers, and will be the head counselor this summer. During her senior year she was a caregiver for a family of three after school. Carly will pursue nursing as her career at the University of Rhode Island and hopes to minor in Gender and Women's Studies. She plans on staying active on campus by joining many academic and volunteer clubs."

The Continuing Education Scholarship, which was awarded to Chern:

"Elizabeth Chern will be entering the New Jersey Medical School (NJMS) class of 2023. Some organizations that Elizabeth has been involved with include the St. Peter’s Hospital, New Brunswick Children’s Specialized Hospital, and the Student Family Health Care Center (SFHCC) clinic associated with NJMS. Elizabeth has been a Sunday school teacher, church group co-leader, and a homeless outreach coordinator at her church for the past four years. It’s Elizabeth’s goal as a physician to provide care to individuals who may otherwise fall through the cracks. She plans to continue her involvement at NJMS’ SFHCC clinic and at her church. Her future plans include joining the Green Club (which provides freshly grown produce to Newark residents) and joining tutoring programs for Newark students."

The Shirley Wight Keeney Voluntarism Scholarships are awarded annually by the Junior League of Summit to local, graduating seniors. The scholarships' namesake, Shirley Wight Keeney, was a beloved member of the Junior League of Summit and the Summit community, organizers said. As an active volunteer, Ms. Keeney truly demonstrated the League's Mission of promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving communities through effective action and leadership.

To qualify students who meet the following criteria:

• Applicants must live or attend school in Berkeley Heights, Chatham, New Providence, or Summit
• Applicants must demonstrate academic excellence within their high school graduating class throughout his/her high school career
• Applicants must be continuing their education at an accredited two- or four-year college or business/vocational school
• Applicants must show significant volunteer work during their high school years that aligns with the Junior League of Summit’s mission.

The Junior League of Summit is a nonprofit, charitable, and educational organization of women who are committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.

For more information about the Junior League of Summit or to inquire about becoming a member, visit the website at www.jlsummit.org or contact the office at 908-273-7349.

Thanks for reading! Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Have a news tip you'd like to share? Or maybe you have a press release you would like to submit or a correction you'd like to request? Send an email to russ.crespolini@patch.com
Subscribe to your local Patch newsletter. You can also have them delivered to your phone screen by downloading, or by visiting the Google Play store.