A Sampling of Our 2024 Scholarship Recipients
Below are the profiles of some of the 2024 scholarship awardees.
Diego is the 2024 recipient of the Ms. Ozzi Mask Scholarship, given to honor the retired Stuart teacher who taught English and Journalism, and was also a sponsor of Raiders’ Digest, cheerleading, and drama. Diego is passionate about music and aspires to be a music teacher. Starting in grade school, Diego has been an integral part of the Fairfax County Band program, playing in the concert and marching band at Justice, earning placement as a clarinet player in All-District and All-State band, and serving as assistant band director. Diego has overcome significant adversity; he lost his mother early in life to cancer and his father worked long hours to support him. He struggled his sophomore and junior years—until he began helping middle school students after school to learn to play music. He discovered helping the students make steady progress while learning to play music gave him immense satisfaction. He realized he could do what he loved while also helping others. “I wish to inspire the younger generations of students to be great musicians but to be even better people as well.” True to his dream, Diego is studying music education at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Fernando is the 2024 recipient of the Jeremy Munga Scholarship, created to honor the memory of a former student whose energy and passion touched many. Energy and passion are the hallmarks of Fernando’s whirlwind years at Justice HS. He is a standout athlete in soccer, playing all four years and serving as varsity co-captain. Fernando served as vice president of Star Club, a political advocacy and social justice organization. In addition, he worked on the yearbook and volunteered for Morning Star at the Woodrow Wilson Library, where volunteers help children on Saturday morning with homework, literacy skills, and educational activities. He also joined a church youth group and volunteered with HACAN (Hispanics Against Child Abuse and Neglect). Somehow he found time to work part-time as well—at the same restaurant his mother did as a way to spend time with her. Fernando wants to study psychology because he wants to understand the factors that shape people's decisions and behaviors. Fernando is attending Juniata College.
Class of 2024 graduate Jasper is the first recipient of the new Rachel Nash Scholarship, named for a former student who had a passion for teaching and the arts. In addition to his challenging course load of IB and Honors classes, Jasper took theater classes all four years he was at Justice HS. He performed in a variety of on-stage roles and worked on productions behind the scenes as a props manager and director. Jasper and his theater props team were nominated for a 2024 Cappies Award, a local program that recognizes excellence in high school theater. He was also the treasurer of the International Thespian Society Troupe. Jasper says the performing arts provide him with an important emotional outlet, and being a part of the theater community has been an invaluable learning experience. Jasper will study both Theater and Gender Sexuality and Women's Studies at Union College in New York.
The Step It Up Foundation is a Northern Virginia-based philanthropic organization with the mission of “Helping People Help Themselves.” The sponsors of this award provide financial assistance to students planning to attend Northern Virginia Community College. This year we are honored to award the Step It Up Scholarships to twin sisters, both named Maria. Citing the poverty and violence in their Central American county, the sisters and their mother left another sister and their father behind to come to the U.S. in 2019. The twins started 8th grade with limited English proficiency. Although attending a new school in a new country and being taught in a new language was a huge adjustment, the circumstances only worsened with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Losing the in-person connection with teachers and fellow students was devastating—“just when I started getting a little comfortable . . . a whole new adjustment,” Maria J. said. Notwithstanding their particularly challenging first year in the U.S., Maria D. and Maria J. launched on journeys that impressed upon teachers, counselors, and friends their strength and potential. Both went from ESOL newcomers to Honors classes the next year, and then International Baccalaureate classes—often earning As! And both have displayed an unwavering commitment to growth as well as tremendous character, preparing them well to achieve their goals of serving others in the medical field, one as a nurse and the other as a therapist.
Maria D.’s counselor remarked how she wasn’t just “content with the massive accomplishment of learning a new language and maintaining a high GPA at school in a new country, she has kept an eye towards growing each year in school. By so doing, she has done a splendid job of setting herself up for collegiate success.” He added, “What makes her stand out from many of her peers is her willingness to capitalize on this success by stepping outside of her comfort zone and working hard to get where she wants to be.” A teacher observed her “ability to overcome obstacles, coupled with her intellectual curiosity and dedication.” Finally, it’s only fitting to note her enthusiastic participation in the Korean Club and the Art Club.
Maria J. shares her sister’s commitment to strive for excellence in her studies, challenging herself and working outside her comfort zone. A teacher described her as a “rare combination of personability and integrity;” her counselor was “quickly impressed” by her diligence and kindness. She is aware of what she has accomplished, the transition she made from uncomfortable ESOL student to someone who seeks opportunities to grow academically and socially, and how her perspective and fortitude will serve her well in college and her career. In describing her interest in becoming a therapist, she specifically recalls her own experience in 8th grade—“when I was intimidated, scared, and on the verge of depression”—as motivation to help young people overcome their fears.
Started in 2023 by a grateful alum, the Resilience Scholarship is awarded to a student who not only has demonstrated his or her commitment to academic excellence and pursuit of a four-year college degree, but also has displayed courage, compassion, and curiosity on the journey. The Resilience Scholarship provides four years of awards—up to a total of $10,000. Janna was chosen both because of her academic excellence, which includes an extraordinary 4.4 GPA as an International Baccalaureate diploma candidate, and also because of her “compassion and collaborative spirit,” as noted by a teacher and echoed by her counselor and the president of the community center where she volunteers. The child of immigrants from the Middle East, Janna has shown “exemplary leadership skills,” starting a club at Justice HS helping address mental health issues, representing Northern Virginia at a national convention focused on civil rights and liberties, and actively participating in the Science Honor Society and STEM Club. She gives back to her community with the same passion she commits to her academic work; the community center president cited her unique combination of skills and noted she is eager to take on new challenges. A “responsible, compassionate, and driven individual,” Janna embodies the qualities of a Resilience Scholar, and will pursue the fields of biology and medicine at George Mason University with the same brilliance, thoughtfulness, and dedicated motivation on her journey to affect positive change.
When Inmer came to the United States at almost 14 years old, he did not speak English and was not familiar with American culture or education. He was initially discouraged by his progress at mastering a second language, but he refused to give up. Inmer says he is still learning new things about English, making him this year’s recipient of the Svendsen Scholarship, named after a former and beloved ESOL teacher at the school. At the same time, Inmer pursued advanced studies of his native language, Spanish. His instructor and his guidance counselor both describe him as a committed student who is not afraid to work hard. He also participated in the college prep program known as AVID. When he turned 16, he began working, first as a server and then as a cashier, to help support his single mother and younger siblings. He is determined to be his family’s first college graduate and plans to attend Northern Virginia Community College and pursue a degree in Information Technology or Cybersecurity. He says he is inspired by a lyric from Avicci’s song Wake Me Up: “I can’t tell where the journey will end, but I know where to start.”
Andy is the recipient of the Norene Thomas Scholarship, given to honor a committed Stuart parent, PTSA member, and Band Booster volunteer. Andy views his passion, paleontology, as a way to “learn more about this beautiful planet” and the “many more secrets and stories that are waiting to be told.” He is mesmerized by how much information can be obtained from a single bone fragment or a single strand of hair. Andy loved dinosaurs as a child, but he credits the encouragement and guidance of his fifth-grade teacher with shaping his love of paleontology. Andy is focused on pursuing it as a career and has a stellar academic track record to support it. As a first-generation college student raised by a single mother, Andy has had to balance helping at home and working with his love for soccer, playing on a club team as well as in high school. Andy has focused on excelling academically and pursing higher education not just for himself, but so he can support his mother and honor her sacrifices for his family. Andy is studying Geoscience at Virginia Tech.
As the 2024 Nancy J. Weisgerber Scholarship recipient, Rudaina embodies the legacy of service and dedication to education shown by the school’s former principal. As a sophomore, Rudaina started a new club called Teacher Assist. The club organized donation drives to collect school supplies, which were then distributed to surrounding elementary schools. Fluent in both English and Arabic, Rudaina was a founding member of the Arabic National Honor Society at Justice HS. Rudaina also served as the Class of 2024 vice president for two years, participated in the Model UN, and was on the forensics team. She is proud of her African heritage and, while a student at Justice, advocated for students, staff, and leadership to listen to the viewpoints of the school’s diverse population. In addition to her leadership roles in school activities, Rudaina worked part time and helped take care of her younger siblings. An IB diploma candidate, Rudaina will attend American University, where she plans to major in political science and international relations. She wants to obtain a law degree and, as an attorney, advocate for social justice. Rudaina’s ultimate goal is to run for political office.
A first-generation college student, Jacqueline (Jacky) is truly special. Focused on the future and all that she hopes to achieve, Jacky challenged herself to expand her comfort zone socially and academically while learning to accept and navigate dyslexia. Her teachers and community leaders note Jacky’s tenacity, integrity, and compassion. Jacky’s strong work ethic and transformative outlook—rather than being an impediment to success, disability “is a benefit”—will serve her well as she pursues a career in dental hygiene at Northern Virginia Community College.
Katerin will study nursing at Simmons University—a fitting choice for someone with “a heart of giving,” notes her Justice HS counselor. Facing a serious medical issue in her late teens, Katerin emigrated to the U.S. from Peru, never losing a noteworthy optimism toward all she encounters. She literally leaped at the opportunities she discovered and determined to learn and contribute meaningfully. Within months of entering the U.S., Katerin applied to and was accepted in two prestigious summer programs—Youth Engagement through Science with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and Ready to Lead at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute—a feat that “blew away” her AVID teacher and IB extended essay advisor. She also pursued an IB diploma, committing to a second junior year to deepen her understanding of science and explore a variety of global cultures. From working at the Smithsonian Museum to launching a student group to support UNICEF’s work, Katerin actively seeks to connect past to present as a means of enriching the future. A bachelor’s degree in nursing will be just the first step on Katerin’s journey to achieve this. She intends to use her experience and learning to uplift her community and advocate for a more accessible and equitable healthcare system.