RFH Guidance Counselor Honored for Assistance to Long Branch Students

Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) Freshman Guidance Counselor Jason Lippart was honored recently for his contributions to the students of Long Branch.

An award ceremony and reception were held on the lawn of the City of Long Branch Housing Authority on June 22.

The seed for what grew into Lippart's large body of charitable work was planted when he worked as a case manager for the Housing Authority from 2007 to 2010.

"Through my work for the Housing Authority I discovered that I really wanted to make a positive difference in the lives of the Long Branch students, many of whom had families struggling to make ends meet," Lippart said in a released statement. "I hope my small contribution of time and energy has had a positive impact on the lives of these wonderful kids from Long Branch. I also hope that more people realize that even if they are not formal educators they still have the ability to impact the next generation in a positive way."

For many years running, Lippart has spent his spare time making a number of presentations at the Housing Authority on topics such as navigating the college application process, applying for scholarships and financial aid.

In his current position as well as his role as advisor to two RFH student organizations -- Character Education Club and Student Ambassadors -- Lippart has worked with RFH students to organize initiatives to benefit the Long Branch students. Most recently, the RFH Character Education Club collected school supplies, such as backpacks and other essentials, for the students.

In addition, in the winter, Lippart and the RFH Character Education Club students teamed up with students from Evolve in Long Branch and with the Long Branch Housing Authority to organize and ship items collected at RFH to U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Their efforts resulted in the delivery of over 40 boxes containing some comforts of home to U.S.military unit members.

Lippart plans to not only continue but also build upon his relationship with the Long Branch Housing Authority, and is planning to offer new workshops to help keep the Long Branch students motivated and hopeful about their future goals.

"Like other educators, I chose this profession not for public accolades but because I recognized the impact I could have on the lives of students," he said in the release. "When you view it from this perspective, we can all be educators by choosing to have a positive influence on the youth in our communities."

In addition to serving as Advisor to the Character Education and Student Ambassadors clubs, Lippart is a member of the School Climate Team, a faculty organization devoted to promoting a positive school environment for students.

He is also a member of the school's Intervention and Referral Services Team; and he serves as the school's Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying Prevention Specialist.

In addition he is an active member of the National Association of College Admission Counselors as well as the Monmouth County School Counselors Association. He has given presentations on "Financial Aid and Paying for College" at National College Fairs, and has presented on "Software Development for School Counselors" at Richard Stockton College in Galloway, New Jersey.

Lippart has a master's degree in Psychological Counseling and a post-master's endorsement for Educational Counseling. He also earned his bachelor of arts degree in psychology, with minors in sociology and Gender Studies from Monmouth.

In addition to serving as a freshman guidance counselor and club advisor, Lippart helps coach the RFH Football Team and is Head Coach of the RFH Girls' Spring Track and Field Team.

The RFH Character Education Club raises funds and collects supplies for charities and non-profit organizations as part of their service to the community. The RFH Student Ambassadors serve as role models to promote positive change within the school community.

The mission of the City of Long Branch Housing Authority is to ethically move toward success through the creation of innovative housing and business initiatives.