Young Women’s Leadership Program
The Community Chest is invested in encouraging young women to be involved as community leaders now and in the future. This award recognizes an outstanding high school Senior who identifies as female, and lives or goes to school in eastern Bergen County. The applicant is compassionate and has demonstrated a passion for leadership in her community through her innovative thinking and courage of her convictions. The young women who apply for this award continue the longstanding history of women in leadership in Bergen County. The Community Chest would like to celebrate these accomplishments and engage in a continuing relationship with all winners and finalists in order to help them continue to develop their leadership skills.
Award information: One first place Senior Award will be awarded $5,000. Two Junior Award winners who will receive $1000 each and an opportunity for an internship.
Applicants must fulfill all criteria and submit applications with the necessary documentation, as specified in the applications. We look forward to hearing from you.
The YWLP (Young Women’s Leadership Program) Events:
In addition to the awards event, there are a number of programs throughout the year which The Community Chest holds to promote the YWLP. This initiative has grown over the years to include increased and varied programming.
We have held a Fashion show at Max Mara at the Shops at Riverside, raising funds for the program.
An Awards Ceremony is held each year. This year it was held in May, 2025. View the YOUNG WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP CEREMONIES AND AWARDEES for a list all the of the awardees 2025 and from previous years!
Max mara fundraising event, November, 2024
Fun afternoon recognizing young women leaders, highlighting and modeling fall fashions and raising funds for Young Women’s Leadership Program
Please refer to these notes from our Financial Literacy program:
FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAM FOR COLLEGE BOUND STUDENT
Participants were given a comprehensive understanding of:
The college application process
The art of the college essay and banking basics
The positives and negatives of debt
How to navigate the differences and consider the pros and cons of applying for need-based aid
An in-depth discussion about the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and CSS (College Scholarship Service) Profile
Guest Speakers and their presentations are available below:
Phyllis Kesslen, Bergen Family Center Educational Counselor
The College Application Process (and a listing of free resources to research colleges, page 7)
Emily Bloom of Athena College Advisors
Intro to Financial Aid Presentation
Very Brief Guide to the FAFSA and CSS Profile
James Geraghty and Kathy Boyd, Valley Bank of Englewood and Tenafly
Photos from the Financial Literacy Program Seminar: October, 2023
