The Michael Aymar Foundation kicks off the season of Thanksgiving with their NASHDO Scholarships to four 8th graders at St.Joseph School in East Orange. The acronym “NASHDO” was a fun way for Mr. Aymar to help his students remember a basic grammar rule: Not All Sentences Have Direct Objects.
The Michael Aymar Foundation (“MAF”) is a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization founded in April 2016 that honors Michael Aymar, a former English teacher who taught middle school students in New Jersey Catholic schools for over 22 years. Their mission is to provide scholarships for middle school students enrolled in Catholic schools whose families face hardship as a result of death, illness or a job loss.
Since its inception in April 2016, The Michael Aymar Foundation has awarded a total of $112,300 to 23 Ambassadors in 6 Middle Schools in the Essex County area. The schools include: Lacordaire Academy in Montclair, Our Lady of the Lake in Verona, Aquinas Academy in Livingston, St. Thomas the Apostle in Bloomfield, St. Benedict’s Preparatory School in Newark and St. Joseph School in East Orange.
The inspiration comes from Mr. Aymar’s impact in the lives of his students. He encouraged his students to read, write and be articulate as the basic tools for success in life. Three of his past students are Board Members of the Foundation and are dedicated to assisting families who are committed to faith based education for their children.
The financial challenges that working class families faced in 2024 created opportunities for the foundation to become a beacon of hope for those facing hardship. Scholarships at the middles school level are very limited, but 8th grade students graduating can tap a more substantial pool of scholarships at private or Catholic High schools.
Marlly Garcilazo, our newest Board member and past student of Mr. Aymar reminds Ambassadors that Mr. Aymar encouraged students to always have a passion for what they do because that will help them thrive in anything they do in life.
Noel Gonzalez, Board member and past student of Mr. Aymar said: “We are pleased to be the bridge to High School Scholarships for our recipients this year. Our NASHDO Scholarship paves the way for these Ambassadors to continue their faith based education. Our Ambassadors this year have clear dreams and aspirations. They want to be authors, lawyers, doctors, and aeronautical engineers. Mr. Aymar would have loved to pave the way for these talented students, and we are privileged to connect them with high schools that provide abundant learning opportunities.”
The stories of this years Ambassadors can be heard on their Youtube channel.
Peter Aymar, founding Board member said: “We are overjoyed at the opportunity to once again make a difference in multiple families’ lives, especially in light of the financial hardships presented by inflation. We look forward to growing our impact with middle school students and continuing to foster relationships with our ambassadors.”
We invite you to visit their website: www.michaelaymarfoundation.org and consider contributing to this worthy cause during your year end giving.
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