The Washington Township Historical Society announced the 2008 recipient of its annual $500 scholarship at the June 17 Senior Awards Assembly held in the West Morris Central gymnasium.

Holly Zimmerman and Eileen Stokes of the Society’s Scholarship Committee made the award to Alice Jerman of the Class of 2008.

The purpose of the scholarship is “to foster an interest in history at the local, state and national levels and [to] provide an incentive to high school students to participate in historic related activities” – aims met by Ms. Jerman through three years participation in the West Morris chapter of the National History Club, including a year as co-president; participation in the Annenberg Foundation Trust’s Fourth Sunnylands Supreme Court Institute Taping where she participated in conversations and discussions with the US Supreme Court justices; and volunteer work for both the Washington Township Historical Society and Fosterfields Living Historical Farm in Morristown.

At Fosterfields, Ms. Jerman acts as a docent giving tours that help bring life on the farm alive to both adults and children. She is part of a group of four student interns who together with History Club advisor, Mrs. Rosanne Lichatin, have spent the past school year archiving Society photographs, books and artifacts to preserve them while making them more accessible to museum visitors.

In addition, Ms. Jerman has participated in many other high school activities including among others: softball, the Baroque Orchestra, the Literary Club, Library Advisory Committee and REACH, while participating in the International Baccalaureate Program. Her plans for the fall are to attend New York University.

The Washington Township Historical Society was founded in 1960 by a group of local citizens with the stated purpose of “bringing together those people interested in history, and especially in the history of Washington Township, Morris County, New Jersey.”

The Society runs the Washington Township Museum on Fairview Avenue, offers programs to the general public, and acts as caretakers for the Old Union Stone Church and Cemetery also on Fairview Avenue, both owned by the Zion Lutheran and the Long Valley Presbyterian Churches for over 234 years. People interested in the work of the Society should call the Museum at 908-876-9696 and leave a message.