Local students earn Cocula scholarship

VERNON — Five Vernon Township High School students have been awarded the annual John Cocular Memorial Scholarship.

Winners were Edward Battista, Kendall cook, Brandon Forino, Kirsten Ondris and Timothy Mitchell. Cynthia Radiola and Daniel Imbimbo of Sussex County Community College also have been awarded scholarships.

The John Cocula Memorial Scholarship Fund was established to honor the legacy of John Cocula, a former teacher and coach in the Garfield School System and longtime resident of Vernon, and his efforts to encourage students to further their education. The award provides a $1,500 scholarship for each student named to an accredited school for higher education and is funded through private donors and an annual Golf Outing, as noted below.

"John would be proud to see these students be able to go on to a higher education program," said Andrea Cocula, founding member of the John Cocula Memorial Scholarship Fund and his wife. "Together with the support of so many outstanding donors and members of the Sussex County community, we will continue to honor John’s vision of helping exceptional students to further their dreams."

Competition for the scholarships, which will partially fund selected students’ education in 2015 academic year, was intense.

Eleven students from Garfield High School were awarded a scholarship, as well.