Toms River Helps Its Own Students

If you have a child in college or one close to that point you are quite aware that the costs associated today with higher education are staggering and often crippling. 

Of course paying for college has always been challenging which is why in 1937 Toms River High School Supervising Principal Dr. Edgar Fink convinced a group of local businessman to do something to help graduates who wanted to further their education. 

The Toms River Student Loan Fund was established 77 years ago as a nonprofit corporation whose sole mission was to provide loans to graduates of THE high school.  Today there are three public high schools in Toms River and the all-volunteer loan fund continues in the tradition of Dr. Fink and those early visionaries.

For the past decade or so I have been a trustee and we often think of ourselves as the best-kept secret in town.  New loans are made at the end of each school year and in a true definition of “paying it forward” college graduates pay their loans back to enable the next generation of students to receive funds to help with some of their expenses. 

It’s been that way since the beginning and will continue long after I and other volunteers move on.  Attorney Peter Van Dyke serves as President of the Board of Trustees.

With the focus on education once a year we become a bit more public and next Thursday (October 16) the Toms River Student Loan Fund will hold its annual recognition cocktail reception and dinner at the Clarion Hotel and Conference Center in Toms River.  The evening will featuring the honoring of the current teachers of the year in the school district, a total of 18 representing three high schools, three intermediate schools and a dozen elementary schools. 

Each of the three high schools will have a student speaker representing their school and among those in attendance will be new Superintendent of Schools David Healy.  I will serve as Master of Ceremonies

Tickets for the reception and dinner are just $50 and available by calling (732) 341-1773.  For more information on the loan fund you can visit trslf.com.