Signature event builds community in many ways

Crowds gather for the 2018 Bands at the Beach event.

By Tara Rethore 

How does a community organization working to make college dreams a reality raise funds and spread the word about their mission? By hosting a community-building event, of course!

For each of the last three years, the Justice High School Scholarship Fund (JHS Scholars) has hosted Bands at the Beach, which has quickly become its signature event. That’s because in addition to raising money for the need-based scholarships it provides, JHS Scholars engages others in the surrounding community to come together and celebrate each other and the community’s students.

JHS Scholars invites local bands to play at the event and encourages participation from Justice students – as musical performers and as partners to raise funds for their own JHS programs and teams.

The third annual Bands at the Beach, 4-7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21 (rain date, Sept. 22) on Beach 5 at Lake Barcroft, will feature two local bands: Honey and the Firebirds, playing blues-infused rock, and bluegrass favorite, Matt Slocum and the Gravel Road Band. Beer, wine and food are available for sale; enjoy dinner from the Saffron Gourmet food truck and homemade desserts from the JHS Crew Boosters. It’s good family-friendly fun against the backdrop of beautiful Lake Barcroft.

Really: what could be better?

Along with its local partnership organizations, JHS Scholars provides need-based, last-dollar scholarships to college-bound JHS seniors. All JHS Scholarship Fund board members have deep ties to the school, as school alumni themselves or parents of past and present students. Further, several of their scholarships honor other community members, such as Harriet “Ozzie” Mask, former student Jeremy Munga, and active and veteran service members in the JHS community.

In the spring of 2019, the JHS Scholarship fund awarded over $160,000 to a hardworking, talented group of graduating seniors. All scholarship recipients demonstrate a commitment to learning and are contributing members of their communities.

Together with its scholarship partners – the Rotary Club of Bailey’s Crossroads, the Thurgood Marshall Fund, and the Casey Schulman Foundation – JHS Scholars awarded 103 scholarships totaling nearly $240,000. That’s the largest total dollar amount ever awarded by the Justice HS Scholarship Fund and its partners.