West Orange Students Get $17K In Scholarships From CORESSWC

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of CORESSWC. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site here.

CORESSWC (Circle of Rainbow Sisters Seeking Spiritual and Wellness) awarded $17,090 in Financial Literacy Scholarships to students in grades 5-12 as well as college students in a ceremony held at West Orange Township Hall on July 26.

CORESWCC founder Martiza Brown welcomed students and parents along with member Nicole Williams. Council president Susan McCartney and West Orange Superintendent of Schools Jeff Rutzky assisted with award distribution. Honorable Judge Sybil Elias was the Keynote Speaker.

Scholarships were awarded in three categories: Teens Financial Discipline Awards, Grades 11-12 Financial Readiness Academic Scholarship Awards, and College Freshman 2017-18 Documentary Award Program Earnings.

Teens (Grades 5-10) receiving FDA awards learned how to help their families manage expenses by contributing to the reduction of primary household Expense Lanes like Gas, Electric or water. They paid themselves by depositing proceeds from birthday gifts, allowance or income earned. 529 Education Accounts were opened for the students and they received 20 per cent of the award in cash.

Six high school juniors and seniors received scholarships via the Financial Readiness Academic Scholarships Awards Programs (FRASA). Student qualifications included the demonstration of financial readiness skills, financial need and a GPA of 3.0 or better in Financial Literacy in Math and Language Arts, if offered at their high school. Applications and interviews were conducted with qualified students.

Now beginning its second year, the Documentary Award Program (DAP), currently has four students participating: Julie-Ann Destine, Obed Narcisse, Imani Nyame, and Gabriella Rodrigues. During the awards ceremony a drawing was held to add an additional two students, and Katherine Myerson and Estelle Eustache were selected.

The DAP program will continue to provide monies to these students throughout their college experience as CORESWCC tracks their progress. $ 1,600 of FRASA's award represented eight Barnes and Noble $200 book scholarship gift certificates; $ 8,500 was awarded in Senior Scholarships: First place $ 3,000, Second place $2,500, and Third place $1,500. A Junior Scholarship for $1,500 was awarded. One hundred per cent of the scholarships will be allocated to their university/college.

Most of the monies were raised at CORESWCC annual fundraiser on March 25, 2018 at their “Women Who Rock the Kitchen” event at West Orange High School.

To learn more about CORESWCC and their programs, visit their website here. To view the photos from the awards ceremony on July 26, go here. To view the photos from the “Women Who Rock” fund raiser on March 25, go here.

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Photo: CORESSWC