SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The Columbia High School Scholarship Fund held its fifth annual cocktail party fundraiser on Sept. 24 at the home of Patricia Bell in South Orange. It was set against the backdrop of her extensive modern art collection, creating the feeling of strolling through a gallery in Soho or Williamsburg. Guests dined on scrumptious food provided by local caterer Sherrie Katz and enjoyed fine wines donated by Bell.
Two former scholarship recipients, Thomas Nichols and Alexandra Fagundez, spoke about what the support of the Scholarship Fund meant to them. Fagundez described how her scholarships allowed her to pay for school and receive her degree and how she is impacting the lives of her students as a classroom teacher. An interesting footnote is that she is the first in her family to graduate from college. Nichols told a similar story, adding that the scholarship award came at a difficult time for his family and it helped motivate him to continue his education and achieve his goal of becoming a teacher.
Madeline Tugentman, event chairwoman, told the guests that over the past five years, the fund has provided more than $660,000 in scholarships to almost 500 Columbia High School seniors and graduates.
Photos Courtesy of Madeline Tugentman