SEEDS - Access Changes Everything Celebrates Commencement Ceremony for the Class of 2023

NEWARK, N.J., Aug. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- SEEDS - Access Changes Everything, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing educational opportunities to highly-motivated students from low-income households, proudly held its Commencement Ceremony for the Scholars and Young Scholars Programs Class of 2023 on August 5th. The event took place at Newark Academy in Livingston, New Jersey, and marked the culmination of the scholars' remarkable achievements.

The ceremony honored the accomplishments of 70 SEEDS scholars who successfully completed the Scholars and Young Scholars Programs. These programs have been instrumental in empowering students from disadvantaged backgrounds and equipping them with the tools and resources necessary to excel academically.

This year's commencement speech was delivered by Odette Rodriques, a distinguished SEEDS alumna from the Scholars Program class of '01. Ms. Rodriques, a Harvard University graduate and the current Treasurer of Uber, shared her inspiring journey and expressed her gratitude for the opportunities SEEDS provided her.

John F. Castano, President and CEO of SEEDS, expressed his heartfelt pride and congratulated the scholars on their remarkable achievements. He remarked, "Graduation is my favorite event each year as scholars, their families, Trustees, staff and faculty all come together in celebration. We are immensely proud of their accomplishments and their commitment to excellence and look forward to witnessing the positive impact they will make in their communities and beyond."

During the ceremony, several awards were presented to outstanding scholars, including:

• Allen Meisels Memorial Scholar: Hans Clovis
• Amy Ziebarth Scholar: Jiyani Bharvad
• Blair MacInnes Scholar: Daniella Mendez
• Dwight L. Wilson Scholar: Divya Bhatia
• Dean's Award: Shubhlean Kaur
• BA Women's Alliance Awards: Sophia Gallego and Scarlett Samuels
• Johnson & Johnson Awards: Charlotte Tacuri, Savion Williams, Adbule-Haq Adome and Prianka Singh
• Cavalier Scholarship Awards: Kuljot Sindhar and Oluwole Korede
• Eagle Pharmaceutical Awards: Anthony Mingo, Rosemond Ofori-Boateng, Diegoemilio Monroy and Julia Tochihuitl
• Thomas J Ricca Memorial Scholar: Camila Vacacela

About SEEDS – Access Changes Everything

SEEDS has been recognized locally and nationally by leading organizations including the Althea Gibson Foundation, Bank of America, Jersey Cares, Mutual of America, Oprah's Angel Network, the Partnership in Philanthropy, and Rutgers University. In addition, Charity Navigator, an independent evaluator of the financial health and efficiency of nonprofit organizations, has awarded SEEDS four consecutive 4-star ratings, its highest rating.

For more information about SEEDS - Access Changes Everything and its programs, please visit https://seedsaccess.org.

Gregory Cole
[email protected]
https://seedsaccess.org

SOURCE SEEDS - Access Changes Everything