Monday, November 7, 2016 Hanover Marriott Honoring Kevin Cummings was appointed President and CEO of investors Bank in 2008.  Mr. Cummings serves on the boards of The Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Children, Liberty Science Center, Visiting Nurse Assn., Independent College Fund of NJ, All Stars Project of NJ, The Federal Home Loan Bank of NY (FHLBNY) and The Community Foundation of New Jersey (CFNJ).  He also serves as a member of the  Development Leadership Council of Morris Habitat for Humanity.  Kevin and his wife Pat are the parents of Katie, Kevin, Mary and William. Ed Hennessy served as Chairman and CEO of Allied-Signal (later Honeywell), a worldwide technology company, from 1979-1991.  In 1981 he founded Tri-County Scholarship Fund with Bishop Rodimer, becoming its first President.  It is “the proudest accomplishment of his life,” according to his daugter, Beth.  Ed was, with his late wife Ruth, and continues to be, a longtime supporter of education, healthcare and the arts.  Ed has two children, Michael Hennessy of Phoenix and Beth Hennessy of New Vernon and two grandchildren. Most. Rev. Frank J. Rodimer was ordained Bishop of the Diocese of Paterson on Feb. 28, 1978.  As bishop, he served as leader of the diocese for 26 years until his retirement in May 2004.  During his ministry as bishop, he established 12 new parishes, ordained 91 priests and 179 permanent deacons and confirmed more than 100,000 Catholics.  Bishop Rodimer spearheaded the creation of the Tri-County Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships to needy students. The Farrell Family – Education has been a top priority for the Farrell family for many years.  The Farrells have been long time benefactors of Oratory Prep in Summit, NJ., and of their children’s other high school and college alma maters.  Mary and her late husband, Michael, founded The Maeve Foundation, which strives to educate the whole child through active learning,  enrichment programs and community service.  Mary serves on the Wake Forest University Board of Trustees and has served on the JerseyCAN board since its inception in 2012.

TRI-COUNTY SCHOLARSHIP FUND IS PLEASED TO CONGRATULATE ITS 41 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS GRADUATING WITH THE CLASS OF 2016. This year, the support of Tri-County and its donors enabled 41 high school seniors to graduate across northern and central New Jersey. Of these graduates, 93% will attend college in the Fall, with the remainder directly entering the workforce or taking a gap year. Many of these students come from inner-city areas and single-parent families who do not have the resources to afford a values-based education from a private school. An annual scholarship from Tri-County presented a transformative opportunity to learn in a secure and supportive environment that encourages both personal and academic development. Our graduates will use these life lessons to achieve success in college and beyond. 2016 College Matriculation NEW JERSEY Bergen County Community College Berkeley College Bloomfield College Felician College Monmouth University Montclair State University New Jersey City University New Jersey Institute of Technology Passaic County Community College Ramapo College Rowan University Rutgers University Seton Hall University The College of New Jersey William Paterson University OUT-OF-STATE Albright College Cornell University Franklin Pierce University Long Island University Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Sacred Heart University St. John’s University Temple University The University of Delaware The University of Notre Dame The University of Rhode Island

Her interest in becoming a physician was further ignited while participating in the Health Care Connections Program through her high school, Mary Help of Christians Academy.  Her assignment was to shadow doctors and nurses at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Paterson.   She discovered how inspiring it was to interact with patients. “I found joy helping people any way I could…even if it was something as small as just giving out water to patients,” says Avril. Dr. Tom Haring, Avril’s high school guidance counselor, noticed her determination and leadership. “It was the way she carried herself,” says Dr. Haring. “She was the perfect role model – mature, modest, and hardworking.  She took the toughest classes we offered, all while doing volunteer work.”  Avril excelled academically and was accepted into the National Honor Society. She was one of a few chosen to study for a summer at Harvard a year before she graduated high school with a 3.7 GPA. Avril worked hard to maintain high grades at Penn State. But there were some tough times when her mother, Ernestine, unexpectedly lost her job. “She’s my inspiration,” said Avril. “She never complains. She came to the U.S. at 18 knowing no one, worked her way through college and built a career. During that year before she found a new job, she just told me everything was going to be okay.”  And it was. Avril is on track to graduate this summer 2016. Avril remains enormously grateful to Tri-County donors.  “It would have been much harder if we had not found Tri-County. Thank you a whole lot because during high school it was hard financially and I am so grateful for the financial help.”

Tri-County Scholarship Fund will be hosting its 4th Annual Women of Achievement Awards Luncheon on Friday, April 8 at 11:00 a.m. at the Canoe Brook County Club in Summit, New Jersey.  On this festive occasion we will recognize four outstanding women who have been role models for the youth of our area through their vocations and service to others.   This year we will honor: Ellen Michelle Harris, Esq. Chief Legal Officer Newark Housing Authority Nancy H. Blattner, Ph.D. President Caldwell University Sr. Jeanne Agans, SC Vice Principal DePaul Catholic High School Camelia M. Valdes, Esq. Prosecutor Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office Through this event, funds are raised to support the Freedom Scholars program which is offered to students entering high school throughout Northern and Central New Jersey.  The Freedom Scholars program is geared to students of financial need as well as high academic achievement.  It is a four-way partnership between Tri-County, participating high schools, students and their parents or guardians.  It enables students to choose values-centered, high performing private schools.  Tri-County awards scholarship slightly less than half the tuition cost and that amount is matched by the participating schools, leaving the family a minimal balance to pay towards the tuition cost.  The Freedom Scholars program is a commitment for the 4 years of high school. Nelson Mandela once said “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”  Please join  us in being part of this change by joining us at the Women of Achievement Luncheon supporting the Freedom Scholars program! For more information call (973) 984-9600 or e-mail Minnie Simon at msimon@tcsfund.org. Click here to view the invitation. REGISTER HERE SPONSORSHIP LEVELS Underwriter for $5,000 (2 tables of ten, full page ad and one year sponsorship of a Freedom Scholar) Patron for $2,500 (Table of ten and full page ad) Sponsor for $1,000 (Table of ten and half page ad) Full Page Ad for $200 (5″ wide x 8″ high) Half Page Ad for $100 (5″ wide x 3.75″ high) Sponsorship LevelUNDERWRITER $5,000.00 USDPATRON $2,500.00 USDSPONSOR $1,000.00 USDFULL PAGE AD $200.00 USDHALF PAGE AD $100.00 USDName of attendees Individual Seats for $95 each # of Seats1 Seat $95.00 USD2 Seats $190.00 USD3 Seats $285.00 USD4 Seats $380.00 USD5 Seats $475.00 USD6 Seats $570.00 USD7 Seats $665.00 USD8 Seats $760.00 USD9 Seats $855.00 USD10 Seats $950.00 USDGuest name(s) I am unable to attend, but would like to donate

Tri-County Scholarship Fund will celebrate 34 years of helping financially needy students in Morris, Passaic and Sussex counties at its annual awards dinner on October 19, 2015 at the Hanover Marriott in Whippany.  The dinner will honor Brian A. Gragnolati, President and Chief Executive Officer of Atlantic Health System and B.J. Agugliaro, Managing Partner of PwC’s New Jersey office.  The mission of Tri-County is to provide financial support to deserving students to obtain a quality, values-centered education through accredited private elementary and secondary schools.  Proceeds from the dinner fund these scholarships.  Also being honored are Vaughn and Marnie McKoy.  Mr. McKoy is a Managing Director of PSEG, Long Island and Mrs. McKoy is an author and educator. In May, Mr. Gragnolati took the reins of Atlantic Health System, one of the largest non-profit health care organizations in New Jersey, which includes Morristown, Overlook, Newton and Chilton Medical Centers, Goryeb Children’s Hospital as well as Atlantic Rehabilitation and Atlantic Home Care and Hospice. Atlantic Health System has made numerous contributions to improving the health of communities, including programs focused on youth.  One of these initiatives, Atlantic Healthy Schools, brings together health care professionals and members of school communities with the goal of improving the health of all students.  This partnership allows Atlantic Health System to share best practices among schools using a network approach, giving schools one-stop-access to a menu of resources and programs provided by Atlantic Health System hospitals designed to help create healthier schools. At the initiative of Mr. Gragnolati, Atlantic Health System will also begin a program that will introduce the students of the Tri-County Scholarship Fund to careers in health care.  “The students of today are going to change health care in new and exciting ways, and the earlier we can nurture their interest in the field, the sooner they can become the leaders of tomorrow,” said Mr. Gragnolati. Gregory Floyd, President of Tri-County added: “We are grateful for Brian’s innovative leadership in opening up opportunities for our scholarship students to get an “up close and personal” look at the world of health care and the varieties of career paths it could offer to them.  This is exactly the kind of opening of doors that helps our students envision really bright futures.” B.J. Agugliaro has more than 25 years in the audit practice of PwC, where he has leveraged his international industry experience in technology, communications and industrial product sectors with his technical industry experience in accounting, auditing and business advisory services.  His strong network of US partners and his many multi-national client experiences have resulted in forming deep relationships with both domestic and overseas contacts in PwC’s global practice. In 2012, PwC launched Earn Your Future, a $190 million commitment to advancing the financial literacy of more than 2.5 million students in grades K-12.  Since the program’s inception, partners and staff in PwC’s US offices have spent close to 703,000 volunteer hours in classrooms teaching topics such as saving & investing, credit and debt, and charitable giving, impacting the lives of nearly 1.5 million students and educators.  Additionally, PwC has taught at several New Jersey Girl Scout summer camps and at after-school programs including the All Stars Project of Newark, which has contributed to further preparation of inner-city youth entering the workforce. “Children need a foundation of financial literacy to succeed in the workforce, and in life,” said Agugliaro.  “Through PwC’s Earn Your Future, we have the opportunity to leverage our greatest asset – our people – to use their knowledge and skills to help these children prosper.  We at PwC welcome the participation of TCSF students in these financial literacy programs.” For the children who receive TCSF scholarships, the results are compelling.  In areas where many TCSF children go to school, the public school graduation rate is below 50 percent.  Tri-County boasts a 100 percent graduation rate and a 98 percent college entry rate.  In recent years, Tri-County graduates have received scholarships to Colgate, Cornell, Villanova, Rutgers, Notre Dame, Seton Hall, UCLA, Columbia and Georgetown, among others.

When it comes to choices, Zaire Davidson, a senior attending DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne, has quite a few.  He may not have been worried, but finding out he was accepted to nine colleges has presented him with a wide array of options to achieve his goals of acquiring an MBA and then moving on to Law School.  While his choices include St. John’s, Seton Hall, and Hofstra Universities, he decided on attending Pace University because of the academics as well as the financial aid packages he was offered. In addition to a strong commitment to academic achievement, Zaire has always had a passion for football, a game he began playing at 6 years old.  In high school, he went on to play for his team at DePaul, but was sidelined by an injury last year.  Unable to continue playing the game he loves, Zaire sees this as an opportunity to find inspiration and deepen his faith.  “I’m an optimist.  There’s always a silver lining.  Whatever God has (planned) for me, I want to go…on that path,” he says. Zaire’s resilience comes not just from his faith, but from family as well.  “My grandmother had cancer on 4 different occasions and she didn’t die,” says Davidson.  Eventually, two years ago, when Zaire was a sophomore, his grandma finally succumbed to double pneumonia, but her optimism and strength still serve as a powerful inspirational force.  “Not once did I ever see her down… she was always happy and energetic, and always looked out for other people,” says Davidson.  Zaire, along with his parents, was awestruck by how many lives she had touched when 700 people attended her funeral.  “It made me think that I want to be at least half the person that she was.  She is my driving force,” says Zaire. Zaire is certainly a proponent of “paying it forward.”  “I do a lot of community service here in New Jersey, and have traveled to the Dominican Republic on a Christian service program where we went into the villages,” says Davidson. Wayne Long, Zaire’s theology teacher, offers some character observations.  “When I first met him, he was quiet and reserved.  He’s matured a great deal.  He’s got some lofty goals.  He mentioned that he was looking into the business arena.  He’s certainly got the potential.  His relationships are positive.  I think he’s got great potential and…I think he’s going to go far.” Zaire is very grateful for the help he has received from Tri-County donors.  “Tri-County has done great things to offer underprivileged kids the opportunity to be well educated and achieve their goals.  I would love to give back and help children the same way donors helped me.  I would love to sponsor children too, and be able to give them the privileges they lack,” says Zaire.

Born in Paterson and raised in Passaic, Clifton, and then Wayne, Christian Alvarado credits his mom, Belkis, with instilling in him strong values like respect for others, and “being a gentleman”.  Left to raise her three children alone when Chris’s father walked out many years ago, his mom worked tirelessly to make sure Christian, now 18 and his siblings Krystal, 24 and Christopher, 15 were committed to developing their minds through reading, thinking and a quality education.  “She’s my hero,” says Christian. Christian’s Tri-County Freedom Scholarship award enabled him to attend DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne.  There he found teachers that ignited his intellectual curiosity and classes that proved to be an excellent training ground for his artistic talents.  Nicholas Lombardi, Christian’s art teacher, describes him as “one of the very, very few who is an excellent portrait artist, able to draw everything from dogs to people.  He did an amazing portrait of his friends (see above).  I was wowed and amazed by his abilities.”  Likewise, Christian has deep respect for Lombardi, describing him as, “my art teacher, my mentor, and someone I look up to…he taught me how to be myself in every situation.” Discovering new talents and abilities while at DePaul, Christian found great satisfaction in both academics and the arts.  He was excited to express himself more fully and discover greater empathy for others through his involvement in theater.  Recognition of academic excellence came via awards in Literature, History and Art, and membership into the National World Language Honors Society. Awarded a generous scholarship to attend Drew University this coming Fall, Christian is excited about continuing to pursue studies in art and psychology.  He expresses interest in exploring a career as an art therapist, calling his art, “a journey of the mind.  It helps me discover how my mind works…and how others’ (minds) work as well.”  He wants to combine these studies to help people “live a healthier life.” Christian is grateful and excited to have the opportunities he’s had due to his Freedom Scholarship.  “I certainly wouldn’t be here right now if not for Tri-County.  I feel like great things are going to be happening.  If Tri-County keeps giving kids a chance for an education, there is no limit.”

Since 1981, Tri-County Scholarship Fund has been helping financially disadvantaged students to achieve academic success.  In those thirty-four years, the Fund has awarded more than 30,000 scholarships to K-12 students who live in Morris, Passaic and Sussex counties, given regardless of race, religion, or national origin.  Those scholarships, worth more than $23.5 million dollars, have enabled children to obtain quality, values-based education through accredited private and parochial schools. Four years ago, the Fund began a new initiative called the Freedom Scholars program.  Partnering with De Paul Catholic High School in Wayne, the Freedom Scholars program awarded much larger scholarships to incoming freshmen of high academic achievement and potential.  For these gifted students, the Fund contributed generously and its donations were matched 100% by De Paul, leaving a minimal balance on tuition costs for parents to pay.  Since 2011, the program has branched out to six other private high schools. The Freedom Scholars program is robust.  Once they arrive at the private high school of their choice, Freedom Scholars have designated mentors who are senior staff or faculty members.  Mentors meet monthly with their students to assess progress and offer encouragement.  Tutoring is available to all Freedom Scholars, along with college testing preparation in Junior year and college essay preparation in Senior year. In June, the first group of six Freedom Scholars will graduate from De Paul.  Two of them will head to Pace University in New York, while the others will attend Drew, Montclair State, Rowan and Monmouth universities.  Speaking of the Freedom Scholars program, Joseph Tweed, President of De Paul said:  “We are grateful to be a part of the Freedom Scholars Program and to partner with the Tri-County Scholarship Fund to help young men and women achieve their academic goals.” The Board of Trustees of Tri-County Scholarship Fund is confident that this program will enable many area children in the area to soar to the heights of academic and personal accomplishment, and is working diligently to ensure its success. For more information on Freedom Scholars and the Tri-County Scholarship Fund, please visit the website at www.tcsfund.org or call 973 984-9600.

On April 21st, Tri-County Scholarship Fund hosted its second annual “Lawyers for Tri-County” dinner at the Park Avenue Club in Florham Park.  The event honored four esteemed members of the legal profession: Francis Donahue, Esq. of Donahue, Hagan, Klein and Weisberg, LLC; John Dughi, Esq. of Dughi, Hewit and Domalewski, P.C.; Wendy Johnson Lario, Esq., Partner, Greenberg Traurig, LLP; and Lillian Plata, Esq., Partner, McManimon, Scotland and Bauman, LLC.  More than 100 lawyers attended to show their support, in addition to other guests. The Lawyers Dinner supports the Freedom Scholars Program of Tri-County Scholarship Fund.  Freedom Scholars are a group of particularly gifted inner-city and financially disadvantaged high-school children from Morris, Passaic and Sussex counties.  Working with some of the best private high schools in the area, the fund contributes generously to the cost of tuition for these students and that contribution is matched by the participating schools.  Parents also contribute, thereby making a top-flight secondary school education available to children that could not otherwise afford it. The results are transformative:  in areas of New Jersey where the high school graduation is less than 50%, Freedom Scholars from the same areas have a 100% high school graduation rate and a 100% college acceptance rate.  This year’s Freedom Scholars graduates will attend Drew University, Montclair State University and Pace University among others, most of them on full tuition scholarships. Guests and honorees were thrilled to hear from Freedom Scholar Genesis Pena, a graduating Senior at De Paul Catholic High School in Wayne.  A second generation Dominican American, she inspired all present with these words:  “Being a female, a minority, the child of a single parent, the resident of an inner city:  the list of challenges can go on and on, but I have never let these labels hold me back from walking a path of excellence.  I have faith in God and in myself.  Any challenge that has come my way, no matter how difficult, has never made me feel sorry for myself.  On the contrary, with the help of God, the support of my family, and the love and lessons learned from my amazing mother, I have used every obstacle as a stepping stone to my success.”  Genesis will attend Montclair State University in the Fall. Karol Corbin Walker, Esq., of LeClairRyan emceed the event.  Gregory Floyd, President of Tri-County provided opening remarks, and Tim Duffy, Esq., of Coughlin & Duffy, Chairman of Tri-County, closed the awards ceremony.  The event was chaired by Christopher Stracco, Esq., a Tri-County Trustee, and partner at the Day Pitney law firm.  Chris as well as Robin C. Bogan, Esq., a partner in Pallarino & Bogan, Laurence J. Cutler, Esq., of counsel to Laufer, Dalena, Cadicina, Jensen & Boyd, and Mark Salah Morgan, Esq., a partner at Day Pitney LLP, were members of the dinner committee. Watch Full Movie Online Streaming Online and Download

On the Friday after Thanksgiving, more than 50 young professionals gathered at the Hanover Marriott for Tri-County’s annual Thanks(for)Giving event, one of two annual fundraisers hosted by Tri-County Young Professionals.  There was music, food and raffle baskets full of great items.  Beyond that, it was a great opportunity for the younger set of those invovled with Tri-County to get together for an evening of fellowship and good cheer.  Topping it off was an inspiring  testimony from Allison Chicoma, a former Tri-County scholar who is now a sophomore at Rutgers University.  Enjoy the pictures and check us out on the web at www.tcsfund.org/about-us/young-professionals.

Ten years ago Michael Castronuovo never imagined he’d become a specialist in leadership.  Then again, he never imagined he’d have travel adventures, mentoring and scholarship support that would enable him to become the successful person he is today. The youngest of three children of a single mom living in Clifton, New Jersey, Michael said he was painfully shy and introverted.  His mom, Lisa, knew she needed to find an alternative to the very large public high school his older siblings had attended in order for Michael to flourish.  Her determined search for alternatives led to Tri-County and a scholarship enabling him to attend DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne for four years. In private school Michael was able explore his interests and be recognized for his academic achievements and fine character. In the summer of 2006 he was nominated by his teacher for his leadership skills, and then selected by People to People as a student ambassador, enabling him to travel to Australia and the following year to Europe.Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef and other activities provided wonderful experiences, but it was the work experiences and relationships he developed during these times that really helped build his confidence and leadership abilities, allowing him to blossom.  “Travel opened me up…without it I really wouldn’t be who I am today,” says Michael. In addition to his supportive mom, Michael credits Tri-County board members with influencing him to take his first travel opportunity.  “I remember going to a Tri-County dinner in my junior year in high school where several board members offered me words of encouragement, influencing my decision to travel,” says Michael. After graduating, Michael attended Saint Leo University in Florida where he maintained a 3.75 GPA, and graduated with a BA degree in Criminal Justice.  During this time, he worked as a Student Assistant for Student Life-Student Services, Campus Activities, Residence Life and Admissions, among other activities. His St. Leo’s trusted mentor and Leadership Studies professor,Dr. Ashlee Castle, said, “You could tell Michael was committed. He was there to learn and did everything he could to become a better person.  His morals, values, integrity,and character are the highest.” With Dr. Castle’s encouragement, Michael moved to California, where he completed a Master of Arts in Leadership Studies at the University of San Diego.  His focus? International Education and Character Education, naturally. Michael now works for San Diego State University Research Foundation’s American Language Institute.  He loves his role of Homestay Coordinator in which he facilitates the placement of international students into local private homes for a few months at a time. Through all his experiences, Michael knows how pivotal Tri-County was in opening doors for him and keeping him grounded. “Without the Tri-County I wouldn’t have gotten through high school.  They were the only other support I had at that time besides my mom. It was great to know that there were wonderful people supporting me, something for which I will be forever grateful” says Michael.

On Thursday, Nov. 13, we received an unusual call at Tri-County Scholarship Fund.  A speaker from The Leader’s Institute was coming to Parsippany to present their popular “Build a Bike” workshop for a group of Bayer employees the following day (yes, the employees learn teamwork and problem-solving by building bicycles!).  His only problem:  he needed an organization to give six brand new “Huffy” bikes to on the following day!  Tri-County leapt into action and called the principal of Blessed Sacrament school in downtown Paterson, who not only said yes to receiving the bikes but came the next day with a friend’s truck, in order to take them back to Paterson where they will make six needy kids very happy this Christmas. We had the chance to speak about Tri-County to 30 employees who were moved to discover that this organization is “right down the road” from them.  The workshop leader wrote to us after the event.  Here’s what he said: I would like to personally thank you for participating in our Build-a-Bike event on Friday, with Bayer. I am proud to have to found your group and more than ecstatic that you were able to attend and receive the bikes on behalf of your organization.  I appreciate the background and message you shared.  I know there will be some happy kids and that is a great reward in itself.  However, the organization you have dedicated your life to, and the cause you represent, is absolutely paramount and I humbly commend you. Thank you again for your help and support.  We will surely contact you again for future events.