For as long as she can remember, Newark Academy has been a part of Nancy Lopus’s life. Her older sister, Marjorie Lopus Jameson ’77, was one of the first girls to attend NA after it became coeducational in 1971. Their mother, Sandra, a fourth grade teacher, also served as president of the NA Mothers’ Club — a precursor to Newark Academy Parents Association (NAPA) — and helped orchestrate events for the school’s 200th anniversary celebration in 1974.
In the fall of 2022, Nancy attended NA’s Homecoming at her sister’s invitation. On that day, she watched in awe as teachers reconnected with their former students. “I fell in love with the school all over again that day,” she says. The campus buzzed with purpose, curiosity and warmth, reminding her why teaching matters.
“I have always felt strongly that teaching must be a labor of love,” Nancy says. “Teachers who share a true passion for the subject they teach are the most influential. They don’t just deliver lessons; they spark lifelong curiosity and confidence.”
It’s no surprise that Nancy went on to become a teacher herself. She built a long and rewarding career teaching business education at Northern Valley Regional High School in Demarest, where she inspired students in courses such as Personal Financial Literacy and Marketing. She also advised and supported student leadership initiatives, always emphasizing that education, at its best, is driven by genuine care for each student.
Inspired by her family’s longstanding devotion to excellence in teaching, including her mother’s work as a fourth grade teacher, Nancy decided to give back to NA, a school she has always admired. In setting her estate plans, Nancy joined her sister Marjorie in creating an endowed scholarship in their parents’ honor: the Dr. Alexander Lopus and Sandra Selfridge Lopus Harvey Scholarship. The fund will support financial aid awards for deserving NA students with financial need who demonstrate academic promise and enthusiasm.
Nancy’s scholarship will ensure that talented students can access NA’s rigorous education and nurturing environment, regardless of financial barriers. Recipients will be encouraged to pursue their passions with the same dedication Nancy brought to her students for decades. Her bequest will make a difference, while honoring her parents — one inspired student at a time.
To learn more about supporting Newark Academy through a planned gift, contact Barbara Sine, Director of Planned Giving and Donor Relations, at bsine@newarka.edu.