The Michael Aymar Foundation awards its 2018 NASHDO Scholarship to Our Lady of the Lake School students.
Back row: Ben Ronquillo- Principal, Rich Fryling, Peter Aymar – MAF Vice President // Photo Courtesy of The Michael Aymar Foundation
The Michael Aymar Foundation celebrates the season of giving by providing a $5,000 dollar scholarship to two students attending Our Lady of the Lake School in Verona. With the help of the school’s principal, Ben Ronquillo, the Aymar foundation hopes to assist a well deserving family in their community.
The Michael Aymar Foundation released the following statement:
“The Michael Aymar Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) Charitable Organization founded in April 2016 that honors Mr. Michael Aymar, a former English teacher who taught at Catholic Schools across New Jersey for over 22 years. Our mission is to provide resources for Catholic, middle school students with their NASHDO Scholarship. “NASHDO” was one of the fun ways he insured his students remembered one of his most memorable grammar lessons, “Not All Sentences Have Direct Objects.”
Mr. Aymar taught in this school for two years, while his son Peter Aymar attended the middle school. He was always grateful for the opportunity to hand his son his graduation certificate in 8th grade. After he left the school, he remained good friends with faculty members whom he saw at Forensics Competitions where local Catholic schools participated. These were the friends that made a connection with the Student Council at the school, and that resulted in two consecutive fundraising events done in benefit of our Foundation.”
“We can say the actions of the Student Council, paved the way for the $ 10,000 scholarship we are delighted to award to this wonderful family,” says Amanda Aymar – Founding Member and wife of Mr. Aymar.”
Mia Aymar, a founding board member, and fundraising chair also spoke about the foundation’s effect on the community, “Our ability to have such impact in so little time, is the result of the hard work of everyone on our Board and our deep respect for the dedication of teachers like my brother Michael.”
Our Lady of the Lake School is a 2017 National Blue Ribbon School.
“This school gave me a solid base for my education and a meaningful career. The special memories I have of my father teaching me grammar and life-lessons, along with other students are priceless and would not have been possible without Our Lady of the Lake. I am proud to come back full circle and make a difference in the life of other students in the community I came from,” said Peter Aymar.
Principal Ben Ronquillo spoke fondly of the Michael Aymar Foundation’s mission while expressing pride regarding the acknowledgment of his students’ success.
“I was overwhelmed with gratitude when I was informed that Miles and Elliot Fryling were recipients of Michael Aymar Foundation’s NASHDO Scholarship. The Foundation’s mission to provide opportunities for students to receive a Catholic education when circumstances may prevent that from happening is a true blessing for families. Our student mission is, ‘To know, love, and serve God and others while achieving academic excellence.’ Miles, Elliott, and the whole Fryling family are excellent examples of our school’s student mission in their actions, words, deeds, and faith. Michael would be proud to see his legacy begin represented by Miles and Elliott. As we move forward, Our Lady of the Lake will continue to support and be a guiding light for the Michael Aymar Foundation.”
The author of the article is a Montclair native class of 2017, currently a student at McGill University, studying history and communications within the Faculty of Arts.
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