Justice High School Scholarship Fund Scholarships
Each year, the Justice HS Scholarship Fund (JHSSF) awards scholarships to Justice High School seniors unable to afford post-secondary education without financial assistance. The number and value of the scholarships vary depending on the generosity of our wonderful donors.
Named Scholarships
In addition to the general JHSSF scholarships, some of our donors give money each year in honor of specific individuals. These named scholarships include the Harriet "Ozzi", Mask, Norene Thomas, Svendsen Memorial, and Jeremy Munga Scholarships. (The name “Stuart” is included for individuals associated with the high school before the name change.)
Alumni Scholarship
This award is made possible by alumni of Stuart and Justice who wanted to give back to their school by generously donating funds to our organization to provide a scholarship for a student from this year’s class.
Ambassador Scholarship
This scholarship began in 2022 and is made possible by a gift from one of our donor families. It supports a $3,000 annually renewable scholarship and is one of the few four-year scholarships the Justice High School Scholarship Fund offers. The Ambassador Scholarship is given to a student who has the talent and ambition to complete a four-year degree and will be a good ambassador for the JHSSF and the greater Justice High School community.
Decorate a Vet Scholarship
This scholarship honors the mission of the Decorate A Vet (DAV) organization to engage the community in honoring Northern Virginia veterans, whose service allows us all to lead freer lives. The scholarship DAV established helps accomplished JHS seniors with demonstrated financial need, a connection to the military, and a commitment to the ideals of liberty, duty, and service attend college. The family of DAV president and founder Jeffrey Jones includes three generations of J.E.B. Stuart/Justice HS graduates---Jeff and high school sweetheart, Patti; Patti's father and uncle; and Jeff's and Patti's children, Rachel and Ethan. Other DAV board members are also members of the local community. They all honor and encourage the ideals exemplified by our military veterans, and they are pleased to provide a “leg-up” for a Justice HS student who may take those ideals forward for the good of our community, our nation, and our world.
Jennifer "Jenny" Discua Hernandez Scholarship
This scholarship honors Jennifer Discua Hernandez, a Justice HS alumna who passed away from leukemia in 2020. Inspired by Jenny’s grace and indomitable spirit, Justice High School faculty and staff created a new scholarship in her memory. It was first awarded to a member of the Justice HS Class of 2021. Jenny arrived at Justice High School from Honduras in the spring of 2016 speaking only Spanish. Her desire to learn English and excel academically is something Justice teachers and staff will always remember. Jenny’s tenacious spirit, eternal optimism, and love of life was unparalleled. She was a light to all of those around her and her positive outlook inspired others to not give up on their dreams regardless of their current situation. Her cancer diagnosis never got in the way of pursuing her high school diploma and courses at Northern Virginia Community College. Her goal was to use her difficult experiences in the hospital and her bilingual skills to help others navigate similar situations. Jenny was a light to all of those around her and her positive outlook inspired others to not give up on their dreams regardless of their current situation. This scholarship will support an English learner who embodies Jennifer’s spirit and who will attend Northern Virginia Community College.
Harriet "Ozzi" Mask Scholarship
The Ms. Ozzi Mask scholarship was established by former students to honor the retired Stuart teacher who taught English and Journalism, and was also a sponsor of Raiders’ Digest, cheerleading and drama.
Jeremy Munga Scholarship
In 2017, a scholarship was created to honor the memory of Jeremy Munga. Jeremy was a beloved member of the Stuart student body whose energy and passion touched many at the school, whether through sports, music, cheer squad, or just his general good-naturedness and ever-present smile. A drowning accident in the summer of 2016 took his life weeks before his senior year at Stuart HS was to have begun.
Rachel Nash Scholarship
Members of the Class of 2005, family, and other friends created a scholarship in memory of Rachel Nash, who lost her battle with breast cancer in 2022. Rachel earned a master’s in education from Johns Hopkins University and served as a secondary school teacher and literacy coach for Baltimore City Public Schools. The scholarship’s sponsors describe Rachel as someone who had a remarkable ability to connect with a diverse range of people, creating a space where everyone felt free to be their true selves. She was beloved for her quick wit and sense of humor and known for her wide-ranging interests and passions, including travel, social justice, music, and writing. Rachel Nash Scholarship awardees will share her passion for teaching and education. The first was awarded in June 2024.
Resilience Scholarship
Started in 2023 by a grateful alum, the Resilience Scholarship is awarded to a student who not only has demonstrated a 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 affords the opportunity to receive four years of awards—a total of up to $10,000.
Step It Up Foundation
The Step It Up Foundation (https://tsiuf.org/), started in 2016, is a Northern Virginia-based philanthropic organization with the mission of “Helping People Help Themselves.” The sponsors of this award want to provide financial assistance to students planning to attend Northern Virginia Community College.
Svendsen Memorial Scholarship
The JHSSF awards scholarships in honor of the late Nancy and Eric Svendsen, who were married for 38 years and devoted their lives to helping people in the international community. From 1968 to 1970, the two served together in the Peace Corps. Nancy Svendsen was a member of Stuart’s ESOL faculty for sixteen years. She was also a longtime sponsor of the Raiders Readers Program.
Norene Thomas Scholarship
Since 2009, the JHSSF has awarded a scholarship in honor of the late Norene Thomas, who was a committed Stuart parent, PTSA member and Band Booster volunteer.
Nancy J. Weisgerber Scholarship
The Nancy Weisgerber Scholarship was awarded for the first time in 2021. Nancy Jean Weisgerber was the proud principal at JEB Stuart High School (now Justice High School) for eight years prior to her retirement in June 1997. Nancy was known for her commitment to education as teacher, coach, counselor, and administrator. As expressed to her by two former Stuart teachers, “Your formula for success was simple—lead with your heart, make decisions based on sincere concern and belief in the goodness of others. While you will never know about every life you have positively affected, we can assure you they number in the thousands.” Another colleague wrote: “Nancy was a teacher first and an administrator second. She was always teaching, reaching out in any way possible to improve the lives of her students, their parents, the staff, and the entire Stuart community.” Following her death in November 2020, the Nancy Weisgerber Scholarship was established by her family to honor her memory.
Partnership Scholarships
In addition to awarding scholarships with contributions made to the JHSSF, we partner with several other local entities to make additional funds available to support Justice High School graduates who aspire to attend college. Our partner scholarship organizations include the Bailey’s Crossroads Rotary Club, the Casey Schulman Foundation, and the Lake Barcroft Community’s Thurgood Marshall Fund.
Rotary Scholarship
The Rotary Club of Bailey’s Crossroads awards scholarships in collaboration with the JHSSF in recognition of the recipients' community service and involvement with Interact Club, the Rotary International’s service club for young people.
Thurgood Marshall Fund
The Thurgood Marshall Fund awards scholarships to graduating Justice HS seniors who excel both in and outside the classroom. The Fund was established in honor of one of Lake Barcroft’s most distinguished residents, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. The Thurgood Marshall Scholarships are awarded every year by the Lake Barcroft community.
Casey Schulman Foundation
The Casey Schulman Foundation awards scholarships to students who will carry on the kindness, positivity and interest in the world around them, as Casey Schulman had done in her lifetime. These students are representatives of the Casey Schulman Foundation for their intellectual motivation, overcoming individual challenges, and their concern and interest in others. To learn more about the Casey Schulman Scholarship, please click ShineOnCasey.org.
Want to Start a Scholarship?
Past alumni have started one-time or continuing scholarships to honor friends or as a class gift. If you are interested in starting a JHSSF scholarship, please contact us at jhsscholars@gmail.com.