PARAMUS, N.J.— Five Pascack Valley-area high school seniors were among 57 Bergen County students honored in March at the 2025 Unsung Hero Student Recognition Ceremony, which celebrates students whose quiet actions and steady presence have made a positive difference in their schools and communities.
The event, held at the Anna Maria Ciccone Theatre at Bergen Community College, is sponsored by the New Jersey School Boards Association and moderated by Michael Jacobs, president of the Bergen County School Boards Association.
Bergen County Clerk John S. Hogan offered congratulations to the students and reflected on the meaning of the award. He noted that the words unsung and hero are not commonly connected, but together they form a powerful idea: a quiet champion.
Local honorees
Five students from Pascack Press–area districts were recognized:
- Jamie Brown, Pascack Hills High School
- Rowyn Maier, Pascack Valley High School
- Diana Tamayo, Emerson Jr./Sr. High School
- Ryan Eddy, Park Ridge High School
- Mary Affinito, Westwood Regional High School
Each was nominated by their district for demonstrating character, leadership, and care for others—often outside the spotlight.
Hogan thanked the students for the difference they’ve made and spoke to the unique strength found in quiet acts of service.
The Unsung Hero Student Recognition Ceremony aims to highlight the kind of leadership that can be easy to overlook: steady, humble, and rooted in compassion. These students are often the ones who support peers, improve school culture, and inspire by example.