A Compassionate Teacher Helps a Student Find His Place at NJCU

A conversation with a caring teacher inspired recent Plainfield High School graduate Eddy Veliz to go from having no plan for his future to landing a spot and a scholarship at New Jersey City University to study music, beginning this summer.

Veliz was a top student in Dr. Johanna Amaro’s class, yet he was unsure about what he would do after graduating with the Class of 2018, Amaro recounted to tapinto.net.

Amaro, an English as a Second Language/Language Arts Teacher, conducted some research that led her to the announcement of an upcoming “Instant Decision Day” at NJCU for prospective students.  She encouraged Veliz and other students to accompany her to the event, which inspired him to apply to the University.

Soon after, he sat for the SATs, as well as for NJCU’s placement test, auditioned for the University by singing and playing his guitar, and was accepted with an award of a scholarship from NJCU.

“This has been overwhelming because one minute, I wasn’t going to college and the next minute, I am filling our applications,” according to Veliz’s account to tapinto.net. “I am really grateful for the scholarship I received and really happy to have a teacher like Dr. Amaro, who motivated me to go to the University.”