Morris Educational Foundation

Congratulations to these deserving 2026 MEF Scholarship Recipients who demonstrated leadership, community service and resilience! Honorees were awarded the following scholarships:

• Ann Marie (DeFazio) and Marc Manahan Scholarship – Given to Ethan Santos who will attend Boston College as a Political Science major.

• Stephen B. Wiley Scholarship – Presented to Lilia Ushiki who will attend the University of Wisconsin Madison to study Biomedical Engineering.

• Colonial Cancer Foundation Scholarship – Awarded to Emerson Petr who will attend the University of New Haven as a Criminal Justice major.

• Usha and Shri Tatachar Scholarship – Presented to Sofia Rodriguez Caussade, who plans to pursue Biology at Bucknell University.

• Leonard P. Pergentile Scholarship – Presented to Samantha Lopez who will major in Nursing at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

• Ferrara-Myers Grandparent Scholarship – Presented to Ava Barry who plans on attending Montclair State University to study Environmental Science.

• Fraternal Order of Eagles Morristown Airee 1311 Scholarship – Given to Anhad Singh who will attend Cornell University to pursue a degree in Healthcare Policy.

• Class of '79 Morris 8 Scholarship – Given to Alison Salinas Ramirez who will attend Rutgers University and to

Garrett Gregor who will attend Carnegie Mellon University to study Mechanical Engineering.

• Morristown High School Class of 2020 Resilience Scholarship – Awarded to Shylah Janvier, who will attend Fairleigh Dickinson University.

• Mary Bentzlin Scholarship – Awarded to Lila Engel who will attend Fordham University to study Psychology.

Check back for additional MEF scholarship spotlights and their Morristown High School post-graduate plans!

Congratulations to these deserving 2026 MEF Scholarship Recipients who demonstrated leadership, community service and resilience! Honorees were awarded the following scholarships:

• Ann Marie (DeFazio) and Marc Manahan Scholarship – Given to Ethan Santos who will attend Boston College as a Political Science major.
• Stephen B. Wiley Scholarship – Presented to Lilia Ushiki who will attend the University of Wisconsin Madison to study Biomedical Engineering.
• Colonial Cancer Foundation Scholarship – Awarded to Emerson Petr who will attend the University of New Haven as a Criminal Justice major.
• Usha and Shri Tatachar Scholarship – Presented to Sofia Rodriguez Caussade, who plans to pursue Biology at Bucknell University.
• Leonard P. Pergentile Scholarship – Presented to Samantha Lopez who will major in Nursing at Fairleigh Dickinson University.
• Ferrara-Myers Grandparent Scholarship – Presented to Ava Barry who plans on attending Montclair State University to study Environmental Science.
• Fraternal Order of Eagles Morristown Airee 1311 Scholarship – Given to Anhad Singh who will attend Cornell University to pursue a degree in Healthcare Policy.
• Class of '79 Morris 8 Scholarship – Given to Alison Salinas Ramirez who will attend Rutgers University and to
Garrett Gregor who will attend Carnegie Mellon University to study Mechanical Engineering.
• Morristown High School Class of 2020 Resilience Scholarship – Awarded to Shylah Janvier, who will attend Fairleigh Dickinson University.
• Mary Bentzlin Scholarship – Awarded to Lila Engel who will attend Fordham University to study Psychology.

Check back for additional MEF scholarship spotlights and their Morristown High School post-graduate plans!

Congratulations to these talented 2026 MEF Scholarship Recipients who received the following scholarships as Humanities, Communication or Education majors!

• Carl George & Shirley L. Eklund Scholarship – Awarded to Tessa Niznik who intends to pursue Elementary and Special Education at Seton Hall University.
• John T. Cunningham Scholarship – Given to John Ulrick who will pursue Film and Media Studies at Temple University.
• Estelle Walker Hinkins Memorial Scholarship – Awarded to Naja Spence who will attend Xavier University to study English and Education.

Check back for additional MEF scholarship spotlights and their Morristown High School post-graduate plans!

📣On Tuesday, September 15, voters in Morristown and Morris Township will have the opportunity to participate in the Morris School District bond referendum. The Morris Educational Foundation encourages our community to learn about the proposed projects, understand what is included in the referendum, and make an informed decision on Election Day.

The District is hosting three information sessions to share details and answer your questions about the September 15 referendum vote. Please mark your calendars and join at any of the following sessions:

💻 Tuesday, August 11th:
Virtual Referendum Information Forum | 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85103304743

📚 Wednesday, August 12th:
Referendum Information Session at the Morristown & Morris Twp Library | 10:00 AM

🏫 Tuesday, September 1st:
Referendum In-Person Information Forum at Frelinghuysen Middle School Auditorium | 7:00 PM

To learn more about the proposed projects, voter registration and voting information, tax impact, and other referendum resources, visit the District's referendum website at www.morrisschooldistrict.org/referendum. Questions may be directed to the District at 📤[email protected].

Congratulations to these dedicated 2026 MEF Scholarship Recipients who are first generation in their family to attend college 🎉! Honorees were awarded the following scholarships:

• Feldman Family Scholarship – Jacqueline Gutierrez Santos who will attend Boston University to pursue Biomedical Engineering.
• Javier Avelar Scholarship – Sarah Vinazco Pulido who plans to pursue Business Administration at Monmouth University.
• Fred Sporer Scholarship - Allyson Herrera who plans to study Chemistry at Princeton University.

Check back for additional MEF scholarship spotlights and their post-graduate plans!

Learn more about what is included in the Morris School District referendum, voting dates, and frequently asked questions at https://www.morrisschooldistrict.org/referendum

Summer is here, and so is our vision for safe, inspiring spaces for every student. 🌟 The Sept. 15 bond referendum would help us upgrade facilities so learning can shine year-round.

morrisschooldistrict.org/referendum

Congratulations to these hardworking 2026 MEF Scholarship Recipients, awarded for their Academic Excellence and Intellectual Curiosity! Honorees were awarded the following scholarships:

• Clifford Starrett Scholarship – Orianna Jaimes Drayer who intends to pursue Biomedical Engineering at Rutgers University.
• Wong Family Scholarship – Melanie Funk who will major in Physics at Cornell University.

Check back for additional MEF scholarship recipients and their post-graduate plans!

Help us congratulate the 3️⃣8️⃣ outstanding MEF Scholarship recipients who were honored during our breakfast reception 🎉. Thanks to the continued generosity of our donors, a record-breaking $635K 😲 was awarded to help these Morristown High School graduates achieve their dreams in college and beyond!

Visit bit.ly/MEFScholarshipWinners to view the full list of recipients and their post-graduate plans 🥳! Stay tuned as we highlight the recipients over the next few weeks.

Last week, we were delighted to welcome our generous donors, supporters, and school partners to the Morris Educational Foundation Donor Reception.

One of the most meaningful moments of the evening was hearing directly from students whose educational experiences have been enriched through MEF-funded grants. A 2026 Morristown High School graduate shared how an Advanced Telephoto Sports Lens has enhanced his ability to capture high-quality images of athletic competitions, Morristown High School Theatre and music performances, and student activities. Students from Frelinghuysen Middle School spoke about the impact of the Footprints program, which helps middle schoolers develop confidence, leadership, and public speaking skills while serving as positive role models for younger students.

Thank you 👏 to all of our donors for your generosity and commitment to our schools. Your support makes it possible for the MEF to collaborate with the Morris School District administration, staff, and the BOE to provide innovative opportunities, resources, and experiences that help students thrive every day.