Senior Scholarship

NJISRA Senior Scholarship

About the NJISRA Senior Scholarship

Each year, the NJISRA awards a High School Senior Scholarship to one senior boy and one senior girl who demonstrate exceptional passion and commitment to alpine racing. The winners are selected based on an anonymous essay in response to the annual prompt. Applications open in mid-January.  Athletes must be an active member of the NJISRA during the season.

How & When To Apply

• Write an inspiring essay and email it as a PDF attachment to scholarship@njisra.org.
• Essays are not to exceed 2 pages in MLA format: double-spaced and 12pt Times New Roman font.
• Anonymous Essay: Do NOT include your name, your coach’s name, or your school name in the essay. This ensures the committee can judge submissions fairly and anonymously.
• Deadline to submit: Tuesday, February 17th, before 11 am (Late or non-emailed submissions will not be considered)

Essay Prompt: In Honor of Coach Carl Boyhan

Carl Boyhan (June 2, 1958 -- January 28, 2025) was a veteran NJISRA coach with coaching experience at Don Bosco, Immaculate Heart Academy, and Bergen Catholic. Carl was an easy going, light hearted, fun loving, and yet reserved gentleman. He stood out in a crowd with his bright smile, helpful attitude, and his music (always music). His service and dedication to ski racing was remarkable for those NJISRA teams, the Winter4Kids program, the Hunter Mountain program, and his own masters ski racing series.

Carl remained unwaveringly focused on his role as a coach, prioritizing the needs of his athletes, "the kids", above all else. He assessed situations, expressed his thoughts candidly, and then redirected his energy toward supporting his team. While he respected differing opinions, he was not easily swayed and maintained his commitment to guiding his athletes. Carl's dedication was relentless, mirroring the continuous rhythm of his favorite music.

Write a two page double spaced essay, please reflect on one or more of the following:

• How has ski racing shaped your personal growth, leadership, or teamwork?
• Describe a moment when you demonstrated dedication, sportsmanship, or service to your team or ski community.
• How do you plan to carry the lessons from high school ski racing into your future education, career, or community involvement?

Essays should be thoughtful, sincere, and reflect the values Carl Boyhan modeled for NJISRA athletes: commitment, teamwork, perseverance, and a love for the sport.

Notification & Award Process

• Winners are announced at the NJISRA State Championships
• Winners will also be notified via email
• Scholarship funds will be distributed after the recipient:
  • Provides proof of 1st semester college attendance
  • Achieves a passing GPA
  • Submits their mailing address for delivery

Terms:

Scholarship recipients must contact the Scholarship Committee and the NJISRA Treasurer

Scholarship Committee:

Committee Chair Ken Johnson (Delbarton), Robert Lincoln (Don Bosco), and Serena Calafati (Sparta)
Past Chair - Rod Calafati, 2021 to 2025

Previous Winners