ROSELLE, NJ — The Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Children raised about $107,000 to support partial tuition assistance scholarships for underprivileged students attending Archdiocese of Newark Catholic schools at its Founders’ 22nd annual Hoopfest on Saturday, Jan. 17, at Roselle Catholic High School.
Approximately 400 spectators braved a snowstorm to attend the beloved SFIC tradition, where they enjoyed three competitive games featuring some of New Jersey’s most talented high school basketball players. Two of the participating teams – Roselle Catholic and Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child – represented the archdiocese, with many players being SFIC scholarship recipients. The other teams hailed from respected schools throughout the Northeast, including Thrive Charter School, The Patrick School and Great Barrington Academy.
Outside of the games, SFIC recognized the players with the highest grades on each team by presenting them with academic achievement awards. One of those players, Tyrease Hunter of Roselle Catholic, was also honored with a commemorative basketball for scoring his 1,000th point during a game on Saturday, Jan. 3, against the Christian Brothers Academy.
“SFIC is so grateful to everyone who supported the Hoopfest—not even the snow could keep them away!” said Michelle L. Hartman, the fund’s chief executive officer. “This was one of the most exciting Hoopfests we’ve ever had. But most importantly, it raised a significant amount of money, which helps our mission of providing children with the invaluable gift of a Catholic education. Our founders, Joseph J. Oakes III and Kenneth F. Kunzman, would be proud.”
An instant success when it launched in 2004, the Founders’ annual Hoopfest continues to be one of SFIC’s most popular events, with many future NBA stars such as Karl-Anthony Towns, Kyle Anderson and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist participating through the years. All proceeds from the event’s ticket sales support SFIC’s partial-tuition scholarships, which benefit children from families at or below the poverty level regardless of ethnicity, gender, race or religion. To learn more about SFIC and its scholarship programs, visit www.sficnj.org.
Photos Courtesy of the Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Children
