Inaugural recipient named for Evesham Township Youth Advisory Committee’s college scholarship award

Mayor Jaclyn Veasy, Deputy Mayor Heather and all of Evesham Township Council are proud to announce that Nick Passanante of the Evesham Township Youth Advisory Committee has been selected as the inaugural recipient of the committee’s $500 college scholarship award.

Nick was officially honored for his achievement at this week’s meeting of the Evesham Township Council.

The Evesham Township Youth Advisory Committee, or “YAC” for short, provides an opportunity for Evesham students in grades six through 12 to learn about municipal government, plan community service projects and make new friends.  

The creation of the YAC scholarship was just one of the many ways the group continues to prepare today’s leaders for tomorrow. The scholarship was open to any high school senior who had least two years of membership with YAC. Applicants were also asked to write an essay on how the YAC has impacted their lives.

Nick, a senior at Cherokee High School, wrote about his seven years of membership with YAC, including the past four years where he was elected annually to serve as Secretary on the YAC Board of Officers. Nick said he also learned about leadership by volunteering at Evesham’s community events, roadside cleanups, food donation drives and more.

“I have contributed effort and service to the community in many ways over this time, and in return, the community and YAC have shaped me into the citizen that I am today,” Nick said. “I have learned so much from my many experiences in YAC; ranging from what it means to be a member of a large community to how to effectively lead a team.”

Mayor Jaclyn Veasy said she was proud that Town Council was able to work with YAC students last year to implement this new scholarship program.

“This is another example of the great new ideas Evesham Township is able to make a reality thanks to dedication of those who selflessly volunteer on all our various advisory boards and committees,” Mayor Veasy said.

Deputy Mayor Heather Cooper, who serves as Township Council’s liaison to the Youth Advisory Committee, said Nick was truly deserving of the scholarship due to all he’s accomplished during his time in YAC.

“Nick is a quiet, compassionate leader who has truly grown into his leadership role in the years that I’ve known him,” Deputy Mayor Cooper said. “He’s a true community servant, and we appreciate all that he’s given back to Evesham. We’re a better town because of kids like Nick who are going off to be leaders in the world.”

As his time with YAC comes to a close, Nick has also been leading the group’s annual project, wherein this year the YAC students plan to use a plot at Evesham’s Community Garden to teach residents about how to prevent inefficient and wasteful agriculture.

Nick also mentioned how grateful he was that Deputy Mayor Cooper was able to revive YAC by encouraging members to establish impactful programs like the scholarship fund, take part in various volunteering opportunities, participate in various Township sponsored initiatives and much more in order to gain valuable real world experiences.

 “I will forever be grateful for the leadership skills, admiration for community service, and friends YAC has provided me with,” Nick said.

Nick plans to attend Saint Joseph's University in the fall to study biology.

Any students in grades six through 12 are encouraged to join YAC if they have any interest in community service or learning more about how government operates on a municipal level.

For more information on YAC, visit www.evesham-nj.org/boards/yac or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..