2025 Scholarship Tea

The 2025 Scholarship Tea was held on May 19, 2025 Monday at the Stockton Education Center at Morven. 3-5 PM.  We had 29 applicants for 2025; we gave out 20 scholarship awards. Photos.

Hawa Baka is a senior from Stuart Country Day School and she is the recipient of the Nancy Lifland Memorial Scholarship. Hawa’s passion for technology started when she was very young and by middle school she had decided to pursue a career in Computer Science.  She has excelled at all her AP classes in the computer field, as well as the mathematics and Precalculus courses she’s taken.  She is a talented writer and has been an asset to the school’s newspaper “The Tartan” where she contributed profile pieces about new faculty members.  Hawa also has taken Spanish all through high school and believes that studying the historical background of the Hispanic cultures, coupled with the language, will bring her a better understanding of other perspectives and realities.  She has created several websites and software for different organizations like the Black Student Union and the Sparks Robotics team, been a member of the Girl Scouts through high school and had an internship working with Girls Code the World. Hawa is attending Wellesley College in the fall, majoring in Computer Science/Cybersecurity.

Bengu Bulbul, a senior from Princeton High School, is the recipient of the Mary Lincoln Memorial Scholarship. Not only has Bengu taken a series of rigorous AP classes both her Junior and Senior years, she has demonstrated leadership qualities. She founded the Middle Eastern Student Association (MESA) to provide a platform for Middle Eastern culture and issues to be heard. She continues to study the violin and is dedicated to the Stretto Youth Chamber Orchestra. She has a passion for environmental studies and advocacy. Bengu is the Secretary of the New Jersey Student Sustainability Coalition and has presented on the subject of Climate Solutions. She took a leadership role at the Ridgeway Conservancy where she guided volunteers through forest restoration projects. Bengu also trained students on MIT’s En-Roads Climate Simulator. She is looking forward to beginning her studies at Rutgers University where she will major in Environmental Science.

Elizabeth Chorba, a senior at Princeton High School is the recipient of a WCCP  Scholarship. Elizabeth has excelled in her AP classes in her junior and senior years. She is a member of the PHS Swim Team, where she serves as the Co-Captain, as well as participating in other Swim Clubs. She is musically talented and is a percussionist and proficient in Drum Set. Elizabeth is a member of the PHS Choir as well as the prestige Jazz Ensemble. She gives back to the community by teaching music after school, volunteering in Appalachia by building homes, as part of the Massanetta Service Project as well as working at local food banks and clothes drives. She has supported St. Jude’s Hospital by writing digital cards for patients. She took first place in a Triathlon Club and ran a 5 K fundraiser for Shriners Children’s Hospital. Elizabeth is a member of a Church choir and youth fellowship group. Elizabeth plans to attend Messiah University to pursue a career in Physical Therapy.

Alexis Colvin, a senior at Princeton High School, is the recipient of the Florence B. Hillier Scholarship. Alexis not only has outstanding grades, she also possesses amazing artistic talent.  She has painted a commissioned piece for Home Front, for which she donated the funds to “Breaking the Cycle of Poverty”. She has participated in Art Jam, and volunteers her time at camps for young girls. As a Native American woman she expresses her heritage through her art. Alexis would like to integrate Fine Arts, Public Policy, and the Social and Physical Sciences into an educational curriculum. She is a yearbook staff member and Editor, Acapella President, and Varsity member of the Golf, Track, and Cheer Teams. Alexis plans to attend Wellesley College and study Media Arts and Science while double majoring in Political Science. Her passion is to bridge the gap between the Arts, STEM and Policy. Alexis told us of her summers spent working at her grandparent’s farm in Washington State.  One of the things she likes is helping her grandmother pick the flowers they grew and arranging them for sale at their farm stand.  We thought that Mrs. Florence Hillier would have approved of her efforts.

Elizabeth Duff, a senior at the Hun School, is the recipient of the Kathleen Hutchins Scholarship. Elizabeth, who goes by “Duff” has known from an early age that she loved and was good at mathematics. She didn’t know what to do with this knowledge until she started to tutor Afghan refugees in the basics of math, without knowing how to speak their language or them knowing any English.  Within a year she had progressed these students from a first-grade to a fourth-grade math level.  Her college counsellor called her a “positive-difference maker” and said she was very strong on her follow through.  Her goal is to someday create a math curriculum that doesn’t rely on language.  Toward that goal she has completed AP courses in Calculus, Physics, Computer Science and Linear Algebra.  In addition to her academic work, Duff has been a math and calculus tutor, a coxswain for the Princeton National Rowing Association who spends every day from 5-7am on the water, a library helper at the Hun School library, a Sunday school teacher at a local synagogue and has created and pitched a board game to Hasbro called Monopoleon which combines poker with Dungeons & Dragons and Risk and KUWTK history.  The game goes on for about 20 hours. Duff is attending Stevens Institute of Technology in the fall and majoring in Mathematics.

Julia Escobar, a senior at Princeton Day School, is the recipient of a WCCP Scholarship. Not only is Julia furthering her interest in science by taking AP Biology along with Anatomy and Physiology, but she also excels in AP Fine Art.  She is a Peer Group leader at school, captain of the varsity field hockey team and president of the Latinx Student Union. Julia is described by one of her counselors as “the type of student who makes the most out of every opportunity with open arms and a big smile.”  Her favorite volunteer opportunity is working with senior citizens in the Brain Exercise Initiative, which she has done for four years. Julia is looking forward to beginning her studies leading to a nursing career at Case Western University.

Nyla Flamer, a senior at the Stuart Country Day School, is the recipient of the Carol Stawski Memorial Scholarship. Nyla, a “lifer” at Stuart since she has been a student there from kindergarten on, is an exceptional student and a young woman of great faith who has a positive outlook and strives to make the world a better place.  She feels that history and religion play roles in understanding people and our world.  Academically she has undertaken the most rigorous schedule possible and excelled in each of her classes.  In addition to taking AP and Honors classes this year, she applied for and accepted a position as a Peer Leader which oversees and guides the freshman class.  In addition to her academic achievements, she has taken on leadership responsibilities by being an active member of the Student Government, serving twice as class president and this year as Executive President.  She is passionate about playing field hockey and enjoys the camaraderie and competition it provides.  Nyla has worked with the Girl Scouts, Campus Ministry and Outreach on various fundraising efforts over the years.  Conscious of the fact that students sometimes need a place to just “chill”, she founded the Relax and Refresh Club which provides space for students to spend some quiet time during the school day. Nyla will be attending Smith College in the fall, majoring in Psychology and Religion.

Makena Gra­­­ham, a senior at Princeton Day School, is the recipient of the Luna Kayser Memorial Scholarship. Makena is described by one of her counselors as an “all-star in every sense of the word.” She has taken a progressively more rigorous curriculum all four years as exemplified by six academic majors in 10^th and 11^th grade, including two AP courses, and a selective research course reserved only for the strongest science students.  Her leadership and supportive sportsmanship show up on the fields as captain of both the soccer and track and field teams. Makena is chapter president of the Brain Exercise Initiative where she works with senior citizens who have Alzheimer’s.  She is also a student mentor at the writing center at Princeton Day School, and additionally, volunteers in the community working with grade school children. Makena’s passion for science, desire to help others, and hands on experience during a Neuroscience internship have contributed to her desire to extend her knowledge in the medical field at the University of Pittsburgh, majoring in Neuroscience.

Amanda Guadalupe, a senior from Stuart Country Day School, is the recipient of The Bartlett Family Foundation Scholarship. Amanda has maintained a rigorous schedule of math and science courses throughout her high school years, taking the maximum number of AP classes in both her junior and senior years. Last summer, in order to be ready to take AP Calculus this year, she completed Honors Precalculus because she felt the courses would help her in her business career.  Her creative outlet is English and her teachers and counsellor consider her a beautiful and expressive writer.  Stuart chose Amanda as the recipient of the Princeton Book Award given by the Princeton Area Alumni Association in recognition of a student who has demonstrated “overall academic excellence and exemplary community service or civic engagement.” Extracurricularly, she has headed up the Student Diversity Board, Future Business Leader of America Club, the Latinx Heritage Club and has twice volunteered with the Appalachia Service Project.  She is a member of the Campus Ministry and volunteers at the soup kitchen at Saint Mary’s Church in Trenton.   Amanda’s mission statement is “to build something that outlasts me, to advocate for and create opportunities for others and to prove that strong leadership-rooted in empathy, equity, and purpose, can be a powerful force for meaningful impact, driving progress and sparking generational change. Amanda will be going to Cornell University in the fall, with a major in Business and Marketing, followed by an MBA.

Jaila Lampley, a senior from The Hun School, is the recipient of the Chowsoon Chuang Ju Memorial Scholarship. Jaila is an extremely well-rounded student.  Their transcript shows them attaining consistently high grades in all their STEM classes, English literature, poetry and creative writing, visual arts, painting and drawing with some history, psychology and  astronomy thrown into the mix, as well as four years of Chinese!  Jaila has been a club leader for Hun’s Poetry Society, the Black Student Union, Gender Equity Matters Club and the Community Service Club.  They also worked providing props and other tech on a production of “The Diary of Anne Frank” put on by the Janus Players.  The Hun Review, the Literary & Art Magazine awarded Jaila with 2 awards for her literary and art pieces that fit the theme of the Magazine. Jaila will be attending Tufts University and majoring in Psychology.

Devyn Martin is a senior from The Hun School and is a recipient of a WCCP Scholarship.  At the start of her high school journey, as a tech-savvy student who took all the AP classes in computer science, she thought that Comp Sci would be her career, but she realized that her passion was in theater.  These interests in technology and the arts have led her to fields like digital marketing and interactive media design – careers that she feels will merge creativity with innovation.  Along her creative journey, she has worked on the school’s yearbook, the Majesty Step Team, and Girls Who Code, an international organization that aims to support and increase the number of women in computer science.  She also found time to perform and work as a stage crew member for the Janus Players, coach the Boys’ Basketball team, be a Red Shield guide and a member of the Honor & Discipline Council. Devyn will be joining the freshman class at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the fall where she plans on majoring in Communications, Media and Design.

Ruth Mehreteab, a senior at Princeton Day School, is a recipient of a WCCP Scholarship. Ruth is described by a counselor as a beautiful writer, a skilled programmer and a deeply kind person.  Academically, she excels in both English and STEM courses.  At school, she is the co-president of a group chosen by the faculty to tutor high school students in math and also co-head of the school’s chapter of the National Organization of Women. Ruth was a gold medalist at the nationals of the NAACP Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics.  Her participation in the highly selective Carnegie Mellon Computer Science program strengthened her commitment to her goal of a career in software engineering. Ruth looks forward to attending Harvard in the fall where she will major in Computer Science.

Amelia Rabe is a senior from The Hun School who is receiving the Marjory White Memorial Scholarship.  She is an engaging and active student, excelling in her classes and overcoming some fraught situations (she was the only girl in a physics class of 15 boys, but she held her own and emerged as a leader in the class).  One of Amelia’s most notable strengths is her leadership ability which she has demonstrated by motivating and inspiring others in her role as a peer leader.  Amelia writes beautifully and is active in many extracurricular activities: Varsity swim team captain, Janus Players (she was a lead in two productions), the Edgartones acapella group, the editor-in-chief of the Hun Literary Review and a member of the Scholars Program where she did independent research on model rocket velocity in midwinter just after an ice storm. Amelia will be attending Worcester Polytechnic Institute in the fall, planning on majoring in Biology with the goal to go into Medicine, with a minor in Astronomy.

Ana Sofia Ramirez, a senior at Princeton Day School, is the recipient of a WCCP Scholarship. Ana Sofia has sought to challenge herself with several AP courses where she excels in her strong field of interest, Art History.  Her Fine Arts instructor describes her work as way beyond the high school level.  Ana Sofia was selected by faculty as a Peer Group leader, is Co-Head of the Latinx Student Union, and is Student Life Representative in the Student Government. Outside of school, Ana Sofia volunteers at the Princeton Arts Council, the Salvation Army, Home Front and Special Olympics.  Despite her family responsibilities, she has many hours of community service and particularly enjoys working with children. In the fall, Ana Sofia will enter Lehigh University where she plans on majoring in Art History.

Sara Ruiz-Mitchell, aka “Gabby”, is a senior at the Hun School who is  recipient of The Bartlett Family Foundation Scholarship.  Academically, she is outstanding – she has taken the most rigorous courses offered at Hun and achieved multiple academic accolades.  Gabby considers herself a change-maker.  To get some personal experience in the political world, she was a summer intern at the office of a local county executive and was introduced to the power behind local efforts for change. She then went on to work for The Opinionated, a small media house run by 4 women under the age of 21 where she recruits diverse voices for their blog. Gabby facilitated Hun’s MLK Leadership summit and attended the American Civil Liberties Union’s Summer National Advocacy Institute.  Her extracurricular activities also include the presidency of the Gender and Sexuality Alliance, guiding tours of Hun through the Red Shield Society, a member of the Honor and Discipline Board, acting in several Janus Players plays and the Peer Tutor program. Gabby will be attending Barnard College in the fall with a double major in Political Science and Classics/Ancient Greek.

Maya Todorov, a senior at Princeton High School is a recipient of a WCCP Scholarship. Maya has outstanding grades in her classes and has excelled in AP especially in Micro and Macroeconomics. Her mathematical skills have led her into tutoring middle school math students. Tennis was and is an integral part of her life. She began playing at 5 years old. She has managed the PHS Tennis Team of 20 girls providing both instruction and guidance. Maya has studied the violin since the age of 5 and now has also mastered the viola, which she plays in the school’s Orchestra. As the football team’s videographer, Maya attended all the games and captured all the plays which she then edited as a tool for the team’s analysis. She also gives back to her community working with PHS Paws and Food Aid. She has shared her artistic talents with the PHS Art Council providing projects and workshops and fostering leadership.Maya plans to attend Rutgers University and study Economics.

Sophia Troiano, a senior from The Hun School, is the recipient of the Barbara A. Hillier Memorial Scholarship.  She is an excellent student receiving high grades in 5 AP classes her senior year.  Sophia is intrigued by constructing functional objects which will be helpful to someone else.  She constructed a soft-wall hyperbaric chamber to help in her mom’s recovery from illness.  Sophia discovered her passion for creating spaces for others while attending a two-week in-person architecture course at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.  Her goal is to create environmentally-based architecture combined with visually aesthetic-based architecture. Sophia is also a varsity softball player, worked on her class’s yearbook and was a Red Shield guide for prospective students who come to visit the school. During the summer, she works at a local camp which she also attended when she was young. Sophia will be attending Rensselaer and majoring in Architecture. 

Lillian Tuliszewski, a senior at Princeton High School, is a recipient of a WCCP Scholarship. When you meet Lilly her warm, mature, empathetic personality shines through. She possesses excellent communication skills both verbal and written. She is truly an advocate for individual rights. She is an Officer for the PHS Gender and Sexuality Alliance. She has met with the school Superintendent and Principal on many issues. Lilly is also an active performer with the PHS performing arts and Choir. She is a member of the prestigious Select Choir. One of Lilly’s passions is the stage. She has served as Assistant Stage Manager, as well as performed in several plays. She participated in the Speech and Theatre Association of NJ and competed in 3 categories. Lilly and her scene partner placed 4th in their performance scene of “The Rabbit Hole”. Lilly has been active for 11 years in Taekwondo, and she currently possesses a Senior First Degree Black Belt. Lilly plans to attend Loyola University and major in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences.

Nala Verlus, a senior at Princeton Day School, is the recipient of a WCCP Scholarship. Academically, she is a strong student who has enjoyed a challenging and balanced curriculum with math being a favorite subject.  In addition to Nala’s impressive scholastic achievements, including Accelerated Calculus, she is captain of the volleyball team, participates in the Teacher Assistant Program, and is a tour guide for prospective families at Princeton Day School. Outside of school, Nala’s passion is dance.  She won The World of Dance New Jersey competition and placed third in the USA.  One of her counselors at school describes her center stage performances as “powerful experiences.”  Nala also volunteers in several organizations teaching dance, leading discussions and organizing events. Nala is looking forward to attending ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Howard University in the fall where she plans to pursue a degree in Accounting to enable her “to work with organizations making a positive impact on society.” She also plans to minor in Dance.

Neena Williams is senior at The Hun School and is receiving a WCCP Scholarship.  She is an exceptional student academically and a “born leader”.  At Hun, she was a Hun Review Club Editor, a Black Student Union Representative, Captain of Majesty (the Hun Step Team) and a member of the winter and spring season track teams for 4 years. Most of all, Neena is a dancer.  She has been studying dance of all genres since she was three and has competed in team, and now solo competitions nationally.  The rigor of competition provided constant challenges and gave her the resilience to persevere which she was able to apply to her academic studies as well. Neena is planning on attending Howard University in the fall to pursue a major in Kinesiology/Sports Medicine.