Student/Partner Alliance Holds Annual Golf Tournament

June 2024 – 110 golfers participated in Bunk’s XVIIIth Annual Golf Tournament to raise funds for the Summit based organization, Student/Partner Alliance (S/PA). The mission of S/PA is to support motivated high school students at private high schools in New Jersey’s urban areas of Essex and Hudson counties with tuition assistance and mentoring to increase their chances for college admission and scholarships, and to lead successful and productive lives.

The tournament took place on June 10, 2024, at Galloping Hill Golf Course in Kenilworth, NJ and was organized and hosted by S/PA Board Member Bruce Reitz. This year’s tournament raised a record amount of over $68,000 to provide scholarships for students at Immaculate Conception, a Montclair based, parochial high school. Since starting in 2007, the golf events have raised over

$550,000. Lead tournament sponsors included Emmett (Board President) & Regina Daly, Vivian
& Robert Field, and Christine Waldron (Board Member). The tournament winners were Mauro
Raccuglia, Joe Raccuglia, Anthony Cortese & Stephen Socci. Local NJ businesses including; Chatham Indoor Golf Club, Healthy Italia and the NY Giants all supported the mission by donating generous raffle prizes.

Event organizer and seasoned mentor, Bruce Reitz had this to say about mentoring: “Mentoring is particularly important to me since I had several people mentor me growing up in my business career. They were very important in helping me become the person I am today. That is why began mentoring students through S/PA in the 90's and continue today. I wanted to return the favor I was given and try to provide the same help to other young students. This was reinforced last year when I received a note from a former mentee which reinforced why I am and will continue to be a S/PA mentor.”

Note from Mentee: "I appreciate you for everything you have done for me and my family. I would not be the man or in the position I am today without you. I achieved so many accomplishments in my life and without your help, doing so would not have been possible. I have 5 beautiful kids now. Graduated from Post University with my bachelor's in Sports Management, Abilene Christian University with my Master's in Conflict Resolution Management and Negotiations and just started my Doctorate at Walden University in Human Services. I cannot say thank you enough.”

To learn more about the role mentoring plays in our community and to find volunteer opportunities with us visit www.studentpartneralliance.org. If you would like to learn more about our program, please contact Kristin Shannon at kshannon@studentpartneralliance.org.