​2018 Success Stories

My name is Alexa Vander Ploeg and I will be going into my sophomore year at Pennsylvania State University as an Animal Science major. For as long as I could remember, I have always aspired to become a veterinarian. Penn State has one of the best undergraduate animal science programs available, making it my dream school.

My name is Angelica Lockhart. I am going to be a Freshman in Brookdale Community College in the Fall and then transferring to Rutgers and majoring in Psychology in hopes of one day helping people with problems relating to addiction, depression, and other psychological disorders. My career goal is to be a school guidance counselor.

Good evening, my name is Ashley McDuffie and I am what some people classify as strong woman. I’ve faced some difficult obstacles in life that I never thought I would be able to speak about today. I am 22 years old, a full-time student, and working in office part time at the Shauger Group, a construction company where I serve as an Office Assistant. My responsibilities include certificate of insurance tracking, job file maintenance and various other clerical duties. I love fashion, modeling and wardrobe.

My name is Brenda Vidals and I am 18 years old. In the fall, I will be attending Rutgers University in New Brunswick as a Biology major. My goal is to become a doctor to help people live better lives. Currently, I am a senior at the Camden County Technical School. For my senior year, I attend classes at Camden County College to receive college course credits.

Hello, my name is Corinne Levy. I am 22 years old and I live in South Jersey with my parents and younger brother. I have been singing, dancing and acting since I was 3 years old. I love being on stage and performing. I am very fortunate to have parents who have continued to support my love for the stage and have given more than they can afford to support my goals.

My name is Freddy Garcia Arequipa and I recently graduated from Dover High School. I had put countless effort and dedication into my past four years in school because I knew that if I didn’t, getting into or affording a good college would not be easy for my family. However, my father had a devastating accident in February of 2017, and it put my family in a low state.

Hello, my name is Gandhi Vidals-Veliz. I’m a bit timid when it comes to meeting new people or doing new things but after a while I open up. I have a huge interest with technology and science because I’m fascinated of how things work and I also have an interest in the medical field. I’m currently attending Camden County College with the Camden-Rutgers program and majoring in nursing.

The man who taught me how to walk, talk, and shaped me into who I am today, was the same man who was taken from me in the worst way possible when I was only four years old. My father was murdered in an attempted car robbery while leaving work one night. Someone who had the world at his fingertips, my dad had been ripped away from his beautiful family at home. A well-known podiatrist with an astonishing seven years post-graduate schooling whom everyone I knew looked up too. My father was well deserving of everything that he attained, considering how hard of a worker he was.

My name is Juliette Phillips and I will be a Freshman attending Iona College in New Rochelle, New York in the fall. I will be pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice, with plans to become a homicide detective. Over the next four years I plan to work extremely hard to learn everything I need in order to pursue this career. I intend to study abroad during college for the experience, and to understand how other countries practice law and handle matters in this field. I hope to graduate by 2022 and begin working.

Hello, my name is Michael Schraft and I am currently a student at The College of New Jersey, this fall I will be entering my sophomore year as a Secondary Education English Major. Four years ago in my sophomore year of high school I found out that my father had injured a disk in his spine. Following numerous surgeries, therapies, and treatments, I found that my father could no longer do the things that he used to be able to do. As a result of this, I had to start taking care of all of the things he used to do around the house.

My name is Nicholas Garcia and I currently live in Wayne, NJ. I have just finished my second year of college, and so far I have had success. I am studying to be an accountant in hopes of one day achieving the coveted status of CPA. This is no easy task as it requires me to take an additional twenty-two credits in order to sit for the exam. This is where the Kid’s Chance Scholarship will truly make all the difference. It is necessary for me to seek extra schooling in order to meet my requirements to become a certified public accountant.

My name is Robert Levy and in Fall 2018, I will be starting my sophomore year at East Stroudsburg University. I am currently majoring in Business Management with a focus in finance. One extracurricular activity I do at ESU is being heavily involved with the Christian Fellowship (ESUCF), which is a Disciple Makers campus ministry, on campus. Through the group I get to reach out to people, help the community, and learn leadership and communication skills, with the goal of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I was a daddy’s girl. I have always admired my father and wanted to be patient, intelligent, and kind, just like him. He was not only the sole provider for my family as a civil engineer, but also the primary parent of the household; my mother has been on disability since 2005 and is too sick to work. He was always present when my mother could not be; once at a large Girl Scout sleepover at the natural history museum in Philadelphia, a woman with a microphone announced, “Could the only gentleman here please leave the room so the girls can change into their pajamas?” He was a wonderful father and I miss him every day.

My name is Scott Kwiatek and am a Senior at NJIT studying for a Bachelor of Science degree in Business. After graduation, my goal is to get a job doing accounting or marketing and work my way up to higher positions such as being a manager or a C-level Executive. Also, I plan on seeking out an internship to help give me a step up finding a job once I graduate. I really enjoy creating ideas and businesses and hope to create my own business one day. With the experience I will gain over the next few years I am confident about this becoming reality. I know I will be successful in my career.

My name is Trent Schamble. I have just recently obtained my Associates Degree at Sussex County Community College in Fire Science Technology last fall. Now that I have completed my associates, I have decided to further my education and go for my Bachelors in Fire Science Technology in the fall 2017 semester by attending New Jersey City University. Since I decided to transfer over to NJCU in the fall rather than the spring, I utilized this spring semester to obtain my EMT certification and Firefighter 2 certification. Upon completion of these courses and obtaining my Bachelor’s Degree, I will begin my search for career firefighting positions. Once I achieve my goal and become a paid fireman, I want to eventually become an officer as well. After I have gained enough field experience and take the proper officer classes, I wish to work my way up in the ranks and slowly but surely become the chief of a fire department so I can further protect and aid the public while also passing on information and experience I obtained to other upcoming firemen.

My name is Tyler Rogow and I will be going into my sophomore year at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). I am pursuing a career in Advertising and Graphic Design. My love of art and technology together with my desire to influence the world in a positive way has led me to this Major. I am excited for the opportunity to combine two of my passions into one career.​