Jonathan Maslow played on the tennis and chess teams at Red Bank Regional High School (RBRHS) and was known for his academic excellence and his smile.
He is also remembered for his commitment to community, his accomplishments as a journalist and author, and his legacy of supporting the educational aspirations of his fellow alumni for the past 14 years.
Established at the Community Foundation of New Jersey in 2012, the Jonathan Maslow Scholarship supports RBRHS students in defraying the costs of their college education. The scholarship was started by Jonathan’s peers from the class of 1966 and funded in large part by his mother, Clara Maslow.
The scholarship committee shared that, “Jonathan was an excellent student at Red Bank Regional High School but also very popular and always smiling. Well-rounded and extremely well-read, he played on the tennis and chess teams. He became a writer and journalist, writing about endangered species, a library that was threatened with closure, and sports. He died at age 59 in 2008, from stomach cancer that was found too late.”
RBRHS Grads to Major in Kinesiology and Music Education
The 2026 scholarship recipients, Synai Blychanton and Noah Hessling, respectively plan to attend West Chester University and Rutgers University.
“I am a determined student-athlete who has learned resilience through challenges both on and off the [basketball] court,” Synai wrote in her application. “My aspiration is to study Kinesiology/Exercise Science and become a Doctor of Physical Therapy, helping athletes recover and reach their full potential.”
Noah shared that he will pursue a major in music education.
“My educational goals are to either become a professional musician or a music teacher,” he wrote. “I’d say that the extra-curriculars I’ve completed have lent themselves to this aspiration; I’ve done honors bands at the regional and state levels, been a part of school theatrical productions, and have spent the better part of my school years shuttling back and forth from music-related rehearsals!”
Maslow Scholarship Promotes Good Writing and Supports Future Journalists
In addition to being an accomplished journalist and author, Jonathan was a documentary filmmaker, naturalist, and environmentalist. He was an editor and columnist for The Herald News in Paterson at the time of his death.
Scholarship awards were given to students exhibiting exceptionally high levels of written proficiency; creativity and originality; and interest in local or national environmental causes, journalism, or creative writing. In all, 17 scholarships and $81,500 have been awarded to RBRHS graduates.
In addition to creating a scholarship at CFNJ, Maslow’s family made a $60,000 grant to Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, where it was matched and has funded annual scholarships for journalism students.
“This wonderful scholarship will sunset this year, but we have truly valued our partnership with Jonathan’s family and friends over the past 14 years,” said Faith Krueger, CFNJ’s Chief Operating Officer. “The goal of the scholarship was to promote good writing and support future journalists, so his loved ones should take pride in the fact that they’ve honored Jonathan’s legacy and helped so many young people on their college journey.”