RHS Class of 1972 Ridgewood, NJ
50 Year Reunion Planning Center

In Memory of Alexa Sobel

THE CLASS OF 1972 SCHOLARSHIP FOR LANGUAGE ARTS

Alexa Sobel was a 1972 graduate, our classmate, and our friend. She was an incredible person; smart, engaging, funny, determined, proud, and full of grace. Alexa also had cerebral palsy. She would not let her cerebral palsy define her. It affected her ability to walk and to speak clearly but it didn’t stop her from pursuing her dreams.

She would not limit herself nor would she allow others to have low expectations of her abilities and accomplishments. She went to college, became an English teacher at a junior college and would never cease from experiencing life on her terms. In many ways she was a trailblazer because of her attitude and outlook on life. We remember and honor her for her special strength and kindness that was always genuine and inspiring.

ALEXA WITH MARIANNE RUSSO BAKER

The Scholarship Fund

We did not originally solicit additional funds for any purpose, however a few classmates took it upon themselves and provided payment beyond the $100 admission price. We now have a surplus that will be used as a scholarship to benefit graduating RHS students.

For the Spring of 2023, there will be two $1,000 scholarships honoring the memory of our classmate, Alexa Sobel. The scholarship will target students pursuing Language Arts specifically in the area of teaching English, with a secondary emphasis on writing.

The criteria for the scholarship:

  • A graduate pursuing a career in Language Arts preferably in teaching English and secondarily in writing.

  • Must have a financial need.

  • Must be a graduate of Ridgewood High School.

We hope to have this memorial scholarship continue and have already received commitments toward a scholarship award for at least one RHS student who will graduate in 2024. If you would like to make a donation to the scholarship, please make your check, (in any amount) payable to:

Ridgewood Board of Education

In the memo write – “Class of 1972 Scholarship for Language Arts

Mail your donation to:

Attention: Jaime Rosado
Education Center
49 Cottage Place
Ridgewood, NJ 07450