MARBLEHEAD — With warm arms and high hopes, the Jewish Community Center of the North Shore welcomed back the two winners of the 2024 Meyers-Bloom Scholarship for a homecoming visit this past week.

Samantha Dormer and Isaac Gross, who were awarded the scholarship in June, recently returned back home to celebrate their academic achievements, show appreciation for their financial support, and in the process, discover more about Jimmy Meyers and Kenny Bloom, for which the scholarship was initially created.

“We are delighted to welcome back Samantha and Isaac to the JCCNS for a catch-up session and to hear about their college experiences so far,” Steve Williams, JCCNS supporter and scholarship committee member, said.

Dormer, who graduated from Bishop Fenwick (Class of 2024) currently plays for the Oberlin Women’s Basketball Team. Gross, who graduated from Marblehead High School (Class of 2024), runs with the Marist College Men’s Cross-Country Team. It was an opportunity to dwell on how far they’ve come and express gratitude to committee members for helping Dormer and Gross take their first steps in the next chapter of their academic pursuits.

The scholarship was established to honor the memories of Myers and Bloom, who were two athletes that had a distinct impact on the JCCNS basketball program. Myers is remembered by the community as a long-time coach and mentor to children, while, for years, Bloom committed to making the JCC an exciting, welcoming place for kids and young adults to pursue passions in basketball.

The JCCNS, which is committed to being a central gathering place for the Jewish community, offers the opportunity to foster a stronger sense of Jewish identity with a deeper connection to Israel in order to enrich peoples lives in a meaningful and spiritual way.

Williams continued, “The JCCNS has long been a place that, by its very nature, fosters a love of sport and physical activity, as well as lifelong friendships… We are proud to provide scholarship to students like Samantha and Isaac, who embody the very qualities that Jimmy and Kenny brought to their teams and communities.”

This coming may, applications for the 2025 scholarship will officially open, which will be awarded to outstanding student athletes that reflect both the qualities and sportsmanship of a team player.

For further information, please reach out to Director of Communications, PR and marketing, Karen Robinson at [email protected].

You can also visit their website at JCCNS.org, or call at 857-285-7900 for any comments or questions.