Essex County commissioners honor local NJAC scholarship winners

Photo Courtesy of Lloyd Holmes
At the Essex County 2022 NJAC Scholarship Presentation are, from left, Essex County Commissioner Robert Mercado; Commissioner President Wayne L. Richardson; scholarship recipients Ashley Sanchez and Egypt Pringle; and Commissioners Brendan W. Gill, Romaine Graham and Patricia Sebold.

NEWARK, NJ — The Essex County Board of County Commissioners recently honored Jason Fernandez, of Bloomfield; Egypt Pringle, of Belleville; and Victor Lebron and Ashley Sanchez, both of Newark, for being named the Essex County recipients of the 2022 Scholarship Program Award from the New Jersey Association of Counties Foundation.

The scholarship awards recognize distinguished students from technical and vocational schools who plan to pursue higher education in the state of New Jersey. The NJAC Foundation — in conjunction with corporate partners Investors Bank, Amazon and SHI International — award the grants to fund the honorees’ continuing education at a county college, state college or state university.

Fernandez, who received the award from NJAC and SHI International, is a recent graduate of Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology. He excelled academically throughout high school with a grade-point average of 4.1 and class ranking of 25 out of 314. In his spare time, he tutors students in need of assistance and volunteers at an annual clothing drive for veterans in Newark. He plans to attend New Jersey Institute of Technology in the fall, where he intends to pursue a career in computer science.

Pringle, who received her scholarship from NJAC and Investors Bank, is also a recent graduate of Payne Tech. In addition to being named to the honor roll for several marking periods throughout her time at Payne Tech, she played on the girls soccer team and served as a manager for the boys basketball team. She plans to attend Montclair State University and major in psychology. 

Lebron, a 2022 graduate of Newark Tech, is a hardworking student who has dedicated himself to enriching the lives of students and faculty. He is always searching for ways to contribute to his school, and takes pride in participating in church activities, volunteer work and other community-based programs. He plans to attend Rutgers University–Newark.

Sanchez, a 2022 graduate of West Caldwell Tech, helps others in various ways, including assisting her peers and teachers who face language barriers. She earned honor roll and principal’s honor roll status for every marking period since 10th grade. She is also a member of the National Honor Society and participates in the Key Club and Student Council. Her true passion is her love for animals, and she plans to dedicate her life to helping them remain healthy. She plans to attend Rutgers University–New Brunswick and major in pre-veterinary studies.