CASH’ S ORGANIZATION HAS HELPED MORE THAN 2,000 STUDENTS ACHIEVE ACADEMIC SUCCESS. Moved by the difficulties facing inner city teens in the late 1980s, Cash was interested in how he could help minority students get into college.“ I realized that there was plenty of scholarship money available for a variety of colleges,” he says,“ but the hard part was getting the grades and test scores that would qualify them for those scholarships.” Cash connected with St. Mary’ s High School in Jersey City and personally paid for 10 students to attend. Colleagues, friends and family members were inspired by Cash, and wanted to help.“ We currently have 160 students in the program,” he says.

WHEN CASH STARTED S / PA, HE VOWED TO ADDRESS HIS CHOSEN ISSUE“ ONE PERSON AT ATIME.” He made the commitment to helping inner city kids reach their academic potential by making it personal.“ It’ s something we can do, and it’ slocal to New Jersey”, he says.

CASH WAS SURPRISED TO LEARN HOW CONSTRAINED THE LIVES OF MANY OF THE STUDENTS ARE.“ I was aware of the issues of single parent families and the lack of role models in inner city neighborhoods,” he says.“ What surprised me was how sheltered these kids often are. Their lives are centered around a few blocks.” When Cash secured summer employment in the American Express mail room for some of the students he mentored, one mother told him that her son had never been to Manhattan.“ He had never been out of Jersey City,” says Cash. In addition to the private school education, S / PA provides experiences such as trips to sporting events or theater visits.

HE ENCOURAGES PARTNERS TO CONNECT PERSONALLY WITH THE STUDENTS WHO BENEFIT FROM THEIR HELP.“ If the partner wants, there is akid they can get to know, and we encourage that,” explains Cash.“ We send the students’ grades to their partners, and we typically have three events each year for the students and partners to get

together.” Donations from foundations and corporations cover S / PA’ s overhead and part of the scholarship funding. Partners commit to a financial contribution for four years; every dollar goes to the tuition of the student.

HE KNOWS PARTNERS WHO HAVE GONE TO GREAT LENGTHS FOR THEIR STUDENTS. As a partner at S / PA, the level of involvement with the student is a personal choice, but Cash knows partners who have driven their students to college visits, and who maintain contact for years after high school graduation.“ There was a partner from Short Hills whose student had two brothers who died from drug overdoses and was despondent. This partner spent a lot of time talking with him and really helped him through it … It’ s not an easy ridefor alot of these kids,” says Cash,“ and being apartner is one of the most rewarding things you can do.” ■

To learn more, go to studentpartneralliance. org.

Submit your ideas for neighbors to millburn @ northjersey. com

CASH: COURTESY OF MARIANNE BUSBY