Image of the community members who were present at the scholarship breakfast.

Barnegat Township, NJ – Almost two dozen businesses and organizations, including cultural clubs and first responders, attended Barnegat Township School District’s (BTSD) annual Scholarship Donor Breakfast on Thursday, Jan. 23 in the high school’s media center. Each year, these groups generously contribute to senior scholarship opportunities, making a meaningful impact on the future of Barnegat students.

The district has distributed roughly $1.8 million in scholarships since the first graduating class in 2008, with each year averaging approximately $130,000 to Barnegat High School (BHS) graduating seniors. “We had many local organizations in attendance, and we were grateful to be able to show our gratitude,” said BHS School Counselor and Scholarship Coordinator Lindsey Wasiak. “We know we have an abundance of community support for our students, between those who could be here and those who weren’t able to make it. Their contributions not only ease the burden of costs for their future endeavors, but it also encourages them to invest back in the community that helped them along the way.”

BTSD Superintendent Dr. Brian Latwis, Board Member Regina Tarnowski, BHS Principal Patrick Magee and Lindsey Wasiak all spoke about the impact donors make on their students. “Every opportunity for a student to be recognized for their hard work is a great way to grow an environment of encouragement, which is what we strive for here at Barnegat Township,” said Superintendent Dr. Brian Latwis. “Not only are we creating this type of environment in school, but we’re also building connections outside of our walls. This support strengthens the bond between our schools and our community.”

Senior Class President Todd Muhammad expressed gratitude on behalf of the senior class. Among the many in attendance were

 Horizons Women's Club

 Mirage Women's Club

 Mirage - Four Seasons

 Barnegat Board of Education

 Barnegat Township School District Staff

 Mirage Men's Club

 Barnegat Fire Co. Ladies Auxiliary

 Soroptimist International of Long Beach Island

 Barnegat VFW Post 10092

 Optimist Club of Barnegat

 Patriot Financial Group

 Mirage African American Club

 The Ray and Tucker Families

 Barnegat Fire Company

 American Legion Auxiliary

 Barnegat PBA #296

 Jewish Community Center of Long Beach Island

 American Association of University Women

 Anything is Possible - E.C. Peters

 The Perugini Family

 Natalie Pinto-Altonjy

 The Reynolds Family Foundation, Inc.

Students must complete detailed applications to qualify for these scholarships, including essays and other forms of writing to showcase interests and successes. Some organizations have specific requirements and conditions for the award recipients, which determine student eligibility.

Seniors will be invited to their own scholarship information session on February 10 to learn about what scholarships are being offered and how to apply. For more information, visit https://www.barnegatschools.com.