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Two Classical Concert Trips

The DMHSAEA is proud to have provided DMHS students with the opportunity to see two classical musical performances this winter.  The first, on December 21, was the New Jersey Symphony performing with the New Jersey Ballet in Tchaikowsky’s holiday classic The Nutcracker at the Morristown’s Mayo Performing Arts Center.  Two days before the performance, two musicians from the orchestra visited the DMHS campus to give a seminar on The Nutcracker exclusively to DMHS students.  Then, on January 9, 2024, students saw Bizet's Carmen at New York’s Metropolitan Opera. 

The DMHSAEA’s support for classical music performance tickets is made possible by the DMHS Alumni Concert Fund, created in 2017 by a generous, anonymous donor.  These two outings are the seventh and eighth such orchestral music activities sponsored by the Concert Fund.


Middle School Teachers' Appreciation Breakfast

PictureAt the May 3 Teachers' Appreciation Breakfast at Janis E. Dismus Middle School were Principal Lamarr Thomas (in tie) flanked by DMHSAEA Board Members (from left) Scott Reddin, Bethany Rabinowitz, James Erwin, Donna Callwood Jefferson and Andrea Morissey
On May 29, 2024, the DMHSAEA sponsored Teachers' Appreciation Breakfasts at DMHS and Janis E. Dismus Middle School.  We wanted to show the teachers how much they're valued and to bring our grants program to their attention.  Many of the attendees expressed gratitude for the Breakfasts as welcome recognition by an outside organization of their efforts on behalf of Englewood's students.



Our Regular Grants
Please see below for a full list of our funded projects to date.

Application Instructions:

Our average funded grant since 2020 has been $3,355.  As of January 2025, the maximum allowed is $5,000 per grant.  Our annual grants budget is now $20,000, but watch this space for budget increases pending this year's donations.

Applications must be submitted by the end of the month for consideration at the following month's Board meeting, which is usually on the third Saturday of the month. 


We may require revisions before funding, so if you want the funds to be available in time for the start of an academic year, submit the application by the end of April.  If you need the funds for January, submit the application by the end of October.  However, applications submitted later may still be fundable in time for your target date if no major changes are needed.

The current version of the application is at the link below -- or request one from DMHSAEA president Larry Golbe ([email protected]), who is also available by phone for any questions before you submit the application (732-986-3453).

More detailed instructions appear on the application form.


Click here to download our 2025 grant application

Projects Funded by the DMHSAEA

2009
  • Gerald Akridge, Boys' basketball camp, $800. 
  • Judy Aronson, Diversity Day program, $1000. 
  • Gary Hollander, Hampton University band camp, $1000. 
  • Maria Iglesias, Visits to colleges for prospective applicants, $425. 
  • Lisa Oden, Trip to see Alvin Ailey Dance Company at Newark's Performing Arts Center, $700.
  • Michael Passow, Trip to the Franklin Mining Museum, $455. 
  • Roslyn Powell, Trip to Washington, DC, $600. 

2010
  • Gerald Akridge, Boys' basketball camp, $800. 
  • Judy Aronson, Other Diversity Day activities, $1179. 
  • Gwenael Calvez, Robotics supplies, $1274.
  • A. Ortiz and M. George, Sewing equipment for Alternatve HS, $700
  • M. Passow and J. Sperber, Geology field trip, $1000.
  • Laura Satterfield, Unity Day speakers, $1500.
  • Jamalaya Scott, Reconnecting Youth, $300.

2011
  • Ronne Bassman, Writing Skills Development at The ZONE, $1000.
  • Gary Hollander, Hampton University Summer Band Camp, $1200.
  • Maria Iglesias, Bilingual/ESL Cultural Integration, $650.

2012
  • Baietti/Duda, Mobile interactive whiteboard system, $1500
  • Bell, Uniform shirts for Alternative High School students, $1305
  • Hollander, Busch Gardens band performance trip, $1000
  • Hollander, Band camp, $1000
  • Scott/Marcellus, Trip to Philadelphia historic sites for Alternative High School students, $1500

2013
  • Aronson, Supplies for Diversity Day activities, $1500
  • Bell, Textile skills supplies, $470
  • Bell, World geography & history teaching tools, $1,446
  • Iglesias, Money Matters II, bus to Rothman Institute at FDU, $150
  • Iglesias, Spanish literature, bus to NYC to see a play, $398
  • Small-Bailey, Boys' mentoring, supplies, $1,500
  • Small-Bailey, Girls' mentoring, supplies, $1,500

2014
  • Aronson, Diversity Day and World Cultures Festival, $1120
  • Bachrach, Flat Rock Brook Interactive Trail Guide app development, $1500
  • Hollander, band performance tour; tour of North Carolina colleges for band members, $1500
  • Iglesias, Viva el Teatro! (reading Spanish plays as literature), $400
  • Marcellus, 2nd Annual Nyame Ama Fashion Show (Alternative HS), $1000

2015
  • Judy Aronson, Diversity Day, $1,500
  • Michelle Escobedo, Mining museum trip, $1,450
  • Janice Acebo, National History Day competition, $1,000
  • Alison Morgan-Black, Reconnecting Youth: evaluation measures, $413
  • Fina Espinal Flores, Truly Bilingual, $1,000
  • Maria Iglesias and others, Salvemos el Planeta, $378
  • Maria Iglesias and Jerry Regalado, Viva el Teatro, $378
  • Gary Hollander, Band camp, $1,000

2016
  • Michelle Escobedo: Meadowlands Environmental Center field trip. $615.
  • Michelle Escobedo: Sterling Hill Mining Museum trip: $1,443.
  • Gary Hollander: Tennessee and Missouri college tour for band members: $1,550.
  • Ana Rosenblum: Formal Spanish for native Spanish speakers: $1,500.
  • Barbara Zeman: Robotics and physics equipment: $1,496.10

2017
  • Michelle Escobedo: Sterling Hill Mining Museum field trip: $1,334
  • Michelle Escobedo: Meadowlands Environmental Center field trip: $825
  • Andre Hampton: Mentoring program for young men in the Alternative HS: $1,500
  • Bergen Family Council: Funding for The Zone $6,720

2018
  • Bergen Family Council: Funding for The Zone $6,720
  • Gary Hollander: Band tour to Penn State and Oberlin $1,500
  • Jorge Luis Valcarcel: Students2Science (chemistry program) $3,000
  • Sabrina Tolu: Mindful movement and wellness room equipment: $659
  • Michelle Escobedo: Meadowlands Environmental Center trip: $1,500

2019
  • Martine Marcellus: Middle School Trip to American Museum of Natural History: $1,500
  • Judy Aronson: Diversity Day 2019: $1,100
  • Jorge Luis Valcarcel: Students2Science (chemistry program): $2,000
  • Judy Aronson: Freshman Experience: $1,370

2020
  • Joe Armental: Positive Coaching Alliance Initiative: $3,000

2021
  • Benjamin Suro (Principal): Mentoring via Bergen Volunteers: $10,000
  • Benjamin Suro (Principal): "Be All You" careers development program: $2,000
  • SAT/ACT prep via Prestige Institute: $9,000,
  • Replacement of students' school supplied destroyed by Tropical Storm Ida via Bergen Families: $2,500 and counting
  • Year-long careers program via the nonprofit "Be All You": $2,000;
  • Jorge Valcarcel: Renewal of a chemistry enrichment program via the nonprofit, "Students2Science": $2,000.

2022
  • Gary Hollander: NJ Symphony brass quintet on DMHS campus: $2,500
  • Gary Hollander: NJ Symphony performance at State Theater, New Brunswick (76 students attended): $2,000
  • Judy Aronson: Diversity Day: $750
  • Alison Morgan-Black: Helping Youth Make Healthy Choices (Middle School): $1,100
  • Jackie Goolsaran: Chemistry supplies for the Science Club: $500
  • Jackie Goolsaran: Students2Science program to introduce students to STEM careers: $5,000
  • Gary Hollander: Expenses related to Marching Band's performance at Jets' halftime: $1,800

2023
  • Gary Hollander: Woodwind quintet from NJ Symphony performance on campus with related lesson: $3,000
  • Parent Matterz (local nonprofit, Rhona Vega, director): Junior Jump Start (college selection and application coaching): $12,500
  • Gary Hollander: NJ Symphony performance at NJPAC, Newark (54 students attended): $1,750
  • Parent Matterz: Blueprint to Success (seminar series on college and life preparation): $15,000
  • Gary Hollander: Three NJ Symphony performances for 2023-2024: $6,000
  • Mario Lugones (baseball coach): Baseball team college tour and spring training, Myrtle Beach, SC and Coastal Carolina University: $2,000
  • Osia Knowles: Trip to National Museum of African American History, Washington, DC $2,000
  • Gary Hollander: Trip to Mayo PAC, Morristown, to see The Nutcracker with the NJ Symphony and NJ Ballet: $2,65
  • Gary Hollander: Trip to NYC's Metropolitan Opera to see Carmen: $1,000
  • Shelly Wimpfheimer (Englewood Community Chest): SAT prep: $5,000

2024
  • Theodora Murphy: Special-needs class trip to see The Lion King on Broadway: $1,666
  • Maria Iglesias: College and career counseling: $6,000
  • A.J. Torre (baseball coach): Spring training trip with college tour/info session: $4,000
  • Theodora Murphy: Special-needs class trip to The Lion King on Broadway and High Line walk: $1,666
  • Gary Hollander: Trip to Metropolitan Opera to see Carmen: $1,000
  • Marnie Hazelton: Trip to DC for Womens' Empowerment meeting on Capitol Hill: $6,401
  • Matthew Lawrence: Lodging at Penn Relays in Philadelphia: $719
  • Gary Hollander: NJ Symphony side-by-side rehearsal with DMHS musicians: $5,000
  • Mitch Schonfeld (Bergen Family Center): The Zone at JDMS, fall semester 2024: $25,000
  • Gary Hollander: Trip to NJ Symphony concert in Morristown: $1,685
  • Ryan Pruitt (Be All You, Inc.): LaunchPad Summer Program for Middle School students: $10,000
  • Robert Gannon: 27 video cameras with required accessories: $14,055
  • Gary Hollander: T-shirts for alumni band for performance with student band: $1,121
  • Kristin Chapapas: Pottery wheels: $4,692
  • Matthew Lawrence: Heroes and Cool Kids leadership program: $4,000
  • Frank Barber: Technology lab renovation: $4,074
  • Mitch Schonfeld (Bergen Family Center): The Zone at JDMS, spring semester 2025: $15,000
  • Reema Martel: Dry Ice Exploration -- Discovering Sublimation: $300
  • Danielle Lavelanet: DNA Learning Center trip: $5,540
  • A.J. Torre: Spring training trip with college tour/info session: $4,000
  • Amanda Steelman: Novels for JDMS Book Club : $258
  • Laura Mathieu: JDMS parents' seminars: $400
  • Denise Averill: Cameras for Yearbook Club: $1,000
  • Reema Martel: Robotics program hardware: $3,758

2025
  • Juliane Bilotta: JDMS trip to see Wicked on Broadway: $1,500
  • Christine Priddy: JDMS trip to American Museum of Natural History: $2,080
  • Joffin-Mari Motyka: DMAE Trip to see Gatsby on Broadway, with related academic project: $2,080







Dwight Morrow High School Alumni Educational Alliance is a 501 (c)(3) Non-Profit
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