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