SEF Presents 2026 Nora Radest Award to Summit High School Teacher Meghan Arts-Scozzari

For more than a decade, Meghan Arts-Scozzari has been teaching Summit High School students to make things with their hands — shaping clay, building sculptures, developing the patience and precision that three-dimensional art demands.

This year, the Summit Educational Foundation recognized that work with its highest teaching honor.

Arts-Scozzari, who teaches Sculpture and Ceramics at Summit High School, was named the 2026 recipient of the SEF Nora Radest Award for Excellence in Education. She received a $500 award and a special certificate from the Foundation, and her name will be added to the list of past recipients on SEF's website. Union County Life congratulates her on behalf of the Summit community.

Fourteen Years of Building Something Lasting

Arts-Scozzari joined Summit High School in 2012. In the years since, she helped grow what was once a single course into a full 3D art program — one that now includes Sculpture/Ceramics 2, Advanced Ceramics, and AP 3D Studio Art.

That kind of program doesn't build itself. It takes a teacher who keeps showing up, keeps pushing students further, and keeps finding new ways to bring resources into the classroom — which is exactly what the Nora Radest Award is designed to recognize.

About the Award

The Nora Radest Award was established by SEF in 2013 to honor Nora Radest, a former mayor of Summit and a past SEF president and board member whose commitment to the Foundation spanned many years. The award goes annually to a teacher or administrator who has submitted grants through the SEF process and, in doing so, has meaningfully enriched the classroom and served as a model for others across the district.

For more information about the Summit Educational Foundation, visit sefnj.org.

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FAQ

What is the SEF Nora Radest Award for Excellence in Education?
Established in 2013, the award honors a Summit teacher or administrator who has submitted grants through the Summit Educational Foundation and significantly enriched the classroom environment. It is named for Nora Radest, a former Summit mayor and longtime SEF leader.

Who won the 2026 Nora Radest Award?
Meghan Arts-Scozzari, who teaches Sculpture and Ceramics at Summit High School, was named the 2026 recipient.

How long has Meghan Arts-Scozzari taught at Summit High School?
Since 2012. During that time she helped expand the 3D art program to include advanced and AP-level coursework.

How is the Nora Radest Award recipient selected?
The award goes to a teacher or administrator who has submitted grants through the SEF process and has significantly enriched the classroom environment, serving as a model for others in the Summit school district.