Five Scotch Plains-Fanwood Students Receive Adele DeLeeuw Scholarships

Five students connected to Scotch Plains schools received Adele DeLeeuw Scholarships at an awards dinner held at the Spain Inn in Piscataway. The students were among twenty-two area recipients who shared $72,000 in total funding this year.

Anay'a Register of Union Catholic High School in Scotch Plains received a continuing scholarship, joining four other returning applicants: Samantha Cohn, Nicholas Mongold, Rebecca Sohmer, and Saanvi Suresh, all of Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School.

Haley Richardson of Union County Vocational-Technical High School in Scotch Plains earned recognition as an Adele DeLeeuw Senior Scholar — a distinction reserved for students who received the scholarship for four consecutive years.

The Adele DeLeeuw Scholarship Fund is administered by the Rotary Club of the Plainfields, which serves Plainfield, North Plainfield, and South Plainfield. Four Rotary clubs draw from the fund to award scholarships to students in their communities who pursue poetry, art, journalism, writing, or engineering.

The fund is named for Adele DeLeeuw, a longtime Plainfield resident who authored 75 books and worked as a journalist and arts activist. Her legacy of creativity and community service shaped the fund's focus on creative and technical fields.

Over its 31-year history, the Adele DeLeeuw Scholarship Fund has distributed more than $1.6 million to area students. The fund's longevity reflects years of Rotary Club commitment to supporting young people pursuing creative and technical excellence.

Students interested in applying for the 2027 Adele DeLeeuw Scholarships can find applications at the South Plainfield High School guidance office beginning in January 2027.

Find more Scotch Plains-Fanwood events, education news, and community achievements on Union County Life.

FAQ

Q: What is the Adele DeLeeuw Scholarship Fund?
A: The Adele DeLeeuw Scholarship Fund is administered by the Rotary Club of the Plainfields and awards scholarships to students pursuing poetry, art, journalism, writing, or engineering. The fund is named for Adele DeLeeuw, a longtime Plainfield resident who authored 75 books and worked as a journalist and arts activist.

Q: How many Scotch Plains-Fanwood students received scholarships this year?
A: Five students connected to Scotch Plains schools received Adele DeLeeuw Scholarships: Anay'a Register (Union Catholic), Samantha Cohn, Nicholas Mongold, Rebecca Sohmer, and Saanvi Suresh (Scotch Plains-Fanwood HS), and Haley Richardson (Union County Vocational-Technical HS).

Q: What is a continuing scholarship?
A: Continuing scholarships are awarded to returning applicant college students who have been selected again for funding.

Q: What is an Adele DeLeeuw Senior Scholar?
A: An Adele DeLeeuw Senior Scholar is a distinction for students who received the scholarship for four consecutive years. Haley Richardson of Union County Vocational-Technical High School earned this recognition.

Q: How much total funding was distributed this year?
A: The Adele DeLeeuw Scholarship Fund distributed $72,000 among twenty-two area recipients this year.

Q: How long has the Adele DeLeeuw Scholarship Fund existed?
A: The fund has operated for 31 years and has distributed more than $1.6 million to area students pursuing creative and technical fields.