DEPTFORD – As the sounds of jazz wound down for a break, high school freshman Obinna Udunni stood confidently in front of nearly 200 people and struck a thankful chord.
“Everybody who has believed in me has been a driving force for my academic achievements, Christian service and faith,” said Udunni, a recipient of the diocesan Black Catholic Ministry Commission’s annual scholarship for Catholic education. The scholarship “motivates me to do better in school.”
Udunni, who attends Camden Catholic High School in Cherry Hill, also noted his volunteer work at a local food pantry and helping the hungry receive a Thanksgiving meal last fall as among the “transformative experiences in my journey. I should always serve others.”
Udunni was one of five students to receive the Black Catholic Ministry Commission’s Taylor-Woodson Memorial Scholarship last year. He and his fellow recipients – Chinwe Chukwueke, Olivia McNamara, Max Romain and Ethan Toles – shared their gratitude and high school experiences with the 175 people who attended the commission’s 32nd annual “Afternoon of Jazz, Plus” dinner and dancing fundraiser April 28 at Auletto Caterers.
Every year, the Black Catholic Ministry Commission sponsors the scholarship, awarding $1,500 to eighth-graders of Black and African descent who want to attend a Catholic high school in the Diocese. The scholarship is based on criteria such as academics, recommendation letters, parish activities and community service. All of the 2023 recipients now attend Camden Catholic.
Mentioning that she is actively involved with the school’s theater productions – “paint crew, prop crew and stage crew” – McNamara praised her educators for “pushing me out of my comfort zone and encouraging me to use the gifts I’ve been given by God.”
Chukwueke noted that the “Black Catholic Ministry Commission’s investment in me and other scholars is truly inspiring.” He said the scholarship allows young people “to pursue our dreams and make a meaningful impact on the community.” For her, it is working at the front desk at Jefferson Hospital in Cherry Hill and encountering others in need “where I feel closest to God.”
Agreeing with his fellow classmate, Romain called the scholarship “a turning point in my life, opening doors to new experiences, challenges and friendships. Camden Catholic has been more than a school to me; it has been a place of growth, discovery and personal development.”
Toles took the opportunity to express his “overwhelming sense of gratitude” for his father, James, who was in attendance. “Through every triumph and every stumble, you’ve been by my side, offering guidance, support and love. Your wisdom, strength and unwavering belief in me has shaped me into the person I am today, and for that, I am eternally grateful.”
In-between the speeches, smooth sounds of the band, “To The Max, dinner and dancing, family, friends, parishioners, clergy and religious shared in camaraderie.
Calling the event “one of the great traditions of the Black Catholic Ministry Commission,” Father Vincent Guest, the commission’s coordinator, said he was struck by the poise and pride of the scholarship winners. He thanked attendees and others for their “generosity in making it possible for these wonderful men and women to attend a Catholic school here in our Diocese.”
Faithful supporters of the program, from as far away as Delaware and Pennsylvania, “look forward to the event and gathering with others – and the reason for it. Thank God, it’s still going strong,” he continued.
Noting the importance of Catholic schools, “where students get a better overall picture and can get involved with their faith,” Cheryl Wright, chairwoman of the Black Catholic Ministry Commission, said that the commission’s support and praise “go out to all of these scholarship recipients, who are active in their parish and school communities.”
Karen Johnson, chairwoman of the commission’s Scholarship Committee, urged the crowd to always provide students “nurturing, love and understanding as they go through school.”
She also wished the students and parents in attendance to “take pride in how far you’ve come, and have faith in how far you can go.”
That was certainly the case for Adaobi Udunni. In addition to Obinna, her sons Olise (a senior) and Arinze (a sophomore) also attend Camden Catholic High School.
“I’m so grateful for the Black Catholic Ministry Commission,” she said. “I want my children to have the Catholic faith, share it in a Catholic school community and grow with it.”
To learn more about the Black Catholic Ministry Commission of the Camden Diocese, contact Sacred Heart Parish, Camden, at (856) 966-6700 or parishoffice@sacredheartofcamden.com.
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