Essex Catholic High School Foundation Scholarships provide financial support to students attending private (non-public) high schools, any undergraduate/graduate college/university or technical/trade school in the United States who are children or grandchildren or other descendants of ECHS alumni. The Foundation annually awards several competitive scholarships of at least $1,000 each. The deadline for submitting an application to the Foundation Scholarship Committee is midnight, June 1, for the forthcoming academic year. Scholarships will be awarded by September 1.
The contact person for scholarships is Foundation Scholarship Committee Chairman Roger Desiderio ’67, rdesiderio@benditweinstock.com, 973-736-9800
JOIN THE CENTURY CLUB
Given the limited resources available, the Foundation Scholarship Committee has, in recent years, been awarding $3,000 in scholarships annually. The Board of Trustees would like to increase the amount to $10,000. In order to reach this goal, we need your support. The Board of Trustees authorized creation of the Century Club, the intent of which is to get 100 Essex Catholic alumni to donate a minimum of $100 per year exclusively for scholarships. All Board of Trustee members are committed to this goal and have signed on as Century Club members.
In addition to the progress chart below, the Board of Trustees will, each year in the Alumni Dinner & Hall of Fame Induction Journal, recognize the names of Century Club members in appreciation for their donation. We ask that you consider committing to this project. All donations are tax-deductible, as the Foundation is a 501(c3) entity.
There is nothing better than helping to educate a student. Please send your donation checks, payable to Essex Catholic High School Foundation Inc., to:
Bill Vantuono ’77
Treasurer, Essex Catholic High School Foundation Inc.
50 Valentine Street, Unit 19A
Monmouth Beach, NJ 07750
Please be sure to designate your check as “Scholarship Fund.” The donation will be used exclusively for scholarships. If you’re am alumnus, please indicate your Class Year.
Thank you for your generosity! Remember, $100 times 100 donations equals our goal of $10,000.
In Memoriam, Henry Prata ’63
The Foundation dedicates this program to the loving memory of Enrico A. “Henry” Prata, who died February 5, 2021. He was 75. Henry was born in Altavilla Irpina, Prov. di Avellino, Italy on July 22, 1945 and arrived in the U.S. at the age of 11. He grew up in Newark, N.J., and graduated from Essex Catholic High School, Class of 1963. He continued his education at Rutgers University College of Arts and Science, Newark, earning a B.A. in Biology and then an M.A. in Science Teaching from Montclair State University. Henry taught biology at Essex Catholic from 1967-1971. He then worked for the Caldwell-West Caldwell Board of Education as a biology teacher, supervised the Adult School Program, became the Director of Continuing Education, then the Supervisor of Secondary Education. He retired in 2006 after 36 years with the Caldwell-West Caldwell Board of Education. Henry, as a Board of Trustees member, ran the Foundation scholarship program for many years. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003.
