Thank you to our Local Business Sponsor:
ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey recently awarded more than $18,000 in scholarships to 10 exceptional local Girl Scouts, including several Essex County residents.
The William and Ida M. Kiefer Trust provides annual scholarships for “deserving students in Essex and Hudson counties wishing to further their post-high school education” – whether at a trade school, two-year college, or four-year university.
Awards were given to applicants who demonstrated the strongest combination of academic achievement, community service, Girl Scout involvement, extracurricular participation and financial need.
The 2025 award recipients include:
In addition to receiving a Kiefer Trust Scholarship, Alanya Friedman of Troop 20514 in Maplewood was also selected to receive a $5,000 national scholarship from Girl Scouts of the USA – an honor awarded to just one Girl Scout in each of the 111 regional councils across the country and USA Girl Scouts Overseas.
For her Gold Award project, Friedman established the Maplewood Shade Tree Subcommittee within her town’s Environmental Advisory Committee to promote tree preservation and environmental education as part of their overall environmental goals.
“These young women are a shining example of the impact Girl Scouting has on a girl’s drive to succeed—not just in school, but in life,” said Everlyn Tillery-Hay, a member of GSHNJ’s Kiefer Scholarship Review Committee.
“Each of them has demonstrated remarkable initiative, resilience and commitment to their community,” Tillery-Hay said. “It was a true honor to read their stories.”
Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
