2025 Awards & Scholarships

Applications for the scholarships will be opened and accepted starting January 6, 2025.

Dear Colleagues,

NJTESOL/NJBE, Inc. is an association of educators and administrators dedicated to the instruction of English language learners at all levels of public and private education. Our mission includes classroom practices, research, curriculum development, funding, employment and socio-political concerns.

In the spirit of honoring and supporting academic aspirations of our students and members, NJTESOL/NJBE is pleased to announce the following scholarship and award opportunities. The 2025 Spring Conference and the President’s Awards Ceremony in which we honor the scholarship recipients will be held 6:00 pm, May 21, 2025 at the Hyatt in New Brunswick.

The Barbara Tedesco Award will be given to an ESL/Bilingual educator and another educator (not an ESL/Bilingual educator) with whom they have a collaborative partnership in the same district. The winners will each be given a one day free registration to the NJTESOL/NJBE Conference for either the year of the award, or the following year’s conference.

Please note: The application deadline for the Barbara Tedesco Award is February 15th in order to offer the award in time to allow the winners to attend one day of the 2025 Spring Conference, May 20-22.

We invite you to nominate deserving students for one of the awards below. The application deadline is March 15, 2025.

• Three Fourth Grade English Writing Challenges – two English learners who have been in the U.S. 3 years or less – Award: an iPad
• Three Eighth Grade English Writing Challenges – two English learners who have been in the U.S. 3 years or less – Award: a touchscreen laptop
• Two $3,000 Raquel Sinai Newcomer Scholarships – two student in ESL and/or bilingual classes in grade 12 who have been in the U.S. two years or less
• Two $3,000 Pedro J. Rodriguez scholarships – ESL/bilingual high school seniors who plan to study in a New Jersey college
• Two $3,000 Seal of Biliteracy Scholarships – Two high school seniors who are current or former ESL/bilingual students who received the NJ Seal of Biliteracy in 2024 or will receive it in 2025.
  Praxedes León Parent Awards for $500 are given to the parents of the Seal of Biliteracy Scholarship winners
• Two $3,000 Higher Education scholarships – Two ESL/bilingual students enrolled part-time or full-time in a NJ college – presently taking ESL courses
• $2,500 Dr. Jessie Reppy Memorial Scholarship – for a graduate student enrolled in an accredited master’s degree program with a major or specialization in teaching English to speakers of other languages
• $2,500 Bilingual Educator Scholarship – for a graduate student enrolled in an accredited program with a major or specialization in bilingual/bicultural education
• $1000 grant from Judie Haynes for an educator who teaches English learners under difficult conditions. The grant money may be used to purchase materials or provide services.
• Barbara Tedesco Award for an ESL/Bilingual educator and a non ESL/Bilingual educator with whom they have a collaborative partnership in the same district. The winners will each receive a one day free registration to the NJTESOL/NJBE Conference.  (Application due Feb. 15th)

Winners will be notified no later than April 30, 2025. Applicants who do not win will be notified by June 9, 2025.

Please refer to the appropriate application to ascertain the eligibility criteria and needed supportive documents for each grant/award. Choose the form from the links below and follow the instructions carefully.

All applications, recommendations, and other required information must be received on or before March 15, 2025 (except for the Barbara Tedesco Award  which is Feb. 15th). Please keep in mind that, in all fairness, any forms received after March 15th will not be eligible for consideration. We ask teachers who are nominating students to start early and support students who are applying to make sure all the supporting documents are submitted. Every year we have a lot of applications that are not complete and are, therefore, not eligible for consideration.

Applications may be started and saved, but be sure to e-mail the “Resume” link to the applicant or teacher.

Please address questions to our scholarship coordinator, Michelle Land at past-president@njtesol-njbe.org.

Thank you so much for your support of our efforts to encourage continued academic studies for English learners.

Respectfully,

LeighAnn Matthews, President, NJTESOL/NJBE, Inc.