Ciara Johnson was honored as a recipient of the first annual Marisa Tufaro Memorial Edison High School Scholarship during the school’s Senior Awards ceremony on Thursday night.

“You can’t find a better kid,” Edison High School principal Charlie Ross said of Ciara. “For me, she’s the highest character kid. No matter who you are, she just cares for you. She’s friendly with everybody, and it’s the type of true friendship where she wants to make you a better person, but without being intrusive. She’s somebody that gets the most out of what Edison has to offer. She’s going to make the world better just by being in it.”

The scholarship is funded through a donation James Monroe Elementary School made to The Marisa Tufaro Foundation, a tax-exempt nonprofit Marisa’s parents, Cyndi and Greg, established in their daughter’s loving memory to help children in need throughout the greater Middlesex County area.

Along with her scholarship, Cyndi and Greg presented Ciara, who will attend Liberty University, where she plans to major in Zoo and Wildlife Biology, with a commemorative plaque and a bouquet of flowers during the awards ceremony.

Those eligible for the scholarship were required to be seniors who were college bound or had applied or been accepted to a vocational or trade school. Candidates were required to be well-rounded and exceptional students who shared Marisa’s interests or took part in at least one of the extracurricular activities in which she was involved.

Ciara’s extracurricular involvement and volunteerism was extensive. Ciara …

  • Co-founded the high school’s Safe Haven club
  • Mentored ESL students through the Spanish National Honor Society’s conversation café
  • Assisted students of elementary school age and younger – including those with special needs – as an Evangel Church children’s ministry volunteer
  • Played alto saxophone in the jazz band
  • Was a member of the varsity volleyball team
  • Volunteered at Turtle Back Zoo camps
  • Served Christmas meals to the needy
  • Volunteered at events through the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America
  • Sang with her church’s youth worship team
  • Took her volunteerism abroad, working on community service projects during a mission to Costa Rica

“Her work outside the gym in her charity and the things she does trying to help other people, it really interested the other players around her,” said Edison High School volleyball coach Mark Blevins, whose program Ciara was a part of for four years. “She really showed the other girls that there’s stuff going on outside of Edison High School that can really make somebody feel good, and not just because it helps themselves, but because it helps other people, as well. She’s going to do really great things as a person. She’s going to really change some people’s lives and she’s going to do it out of the goodness of her heart, not because she gets any personal gratification from it. She’s gotten the right support from her family to be a genuinely kind-hearted person.”

Marisa, who would have been a freshman this year at Edison High School, died last year after complications from a heart transplant developed into a rare form of cancer, to which she succumbed following a valiant fight.

She was born with a complex cardiac defect that required six open-heart surgeries. Despite keeping hundreds of doctor’s appointments and being hospitalized for more than two years, Marisa lived a vibrant life that inspired.

The role outstanding educators from Edison Township played in Marisa’s complete development can never be overstated.

Marisa was an honor roll student at Herbert Hoover Middle School and James Monroe Elementary School, where she served as student council vice president and was involved in numerous extracurricular activities.

At James Monroe Elementary School, Marisa also participated in annual spring musicals, wrote for the school newspaper, sang in the school chorus, played percussion in the school orchestra and was a member of various clubs. Marisa served on the Youth Advisory Council at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, took classes at European School of Dance in Fords, attended summer camps at Middlesex County College, received vocal lessons at School of Rock in East Brunswick, developed a love for horses at Special Strides Therapeutic Riding Center in Monroe and performed in two musicals — “Dear Edwina” (Abigail) and “The Wizard of Oz” (chorus) — at the Forum Theatre in Metuchen.

Marisa, who adored animals and enjoyed going to the zoo, would have absolutely loved the idea that Ciara wants to be a zoologist. Marisa frequented the Cape May Zoo and Turtleback Zoo, and also visited other zoos in New Jersey, New York, Texas, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.

The Marisa Tufaro Foundation is ineffably grateful for the support it has received from Edison High School. The entire football team joined our foundation for a 5K charity walk. The girls basketball team turned a home game against crosstown rival J.P. Stevens into a fundraiser for our foundation. Members of the baseball and wrestling teams participated in multiple fundraising events. Administrators, faculty, staff, students and their parents have donated to the foundation.

“Our kids come together because we know Marisa is with us,” Ross said. “She’s still a part of our community and we take care of our own.”

The foundation is honored to be able to give back to Edison High School through its annual scholarship, and wishes Ciara and all of her classmates continued success in their future endeavors.

Our foundation, established less than 10 months ago, has already made a profound impact. Through the generosity of our supporters, we have …