'Inspire 5K' to Raise Money In Memory of Vo-Tech Student

Middlesex County Vocational and Technical School in East Brunswick will hold its first “Inspire 5K” race on Sunday, April 28, in memory of a former student and to raise money for a scholarship.

The run and walk honors Paul Chrzaszcz, a 2006 graduate of the school who drowned last June at the age of 24.

“Paul’s life was about helping others,” said Jeffrey Bicsko, principal of East Brunswick Tech. “He was a really great young man.”

The lifelong South Amboy resident was a member of the Mechanicsville Hose Company in South Amboy and the Melrose Hose Company in Sayreville. He had attended Monmouth University, where he developed an interest in art, Bicsko said.

A baseball standout of East Brunswick Tech, Chrzaszcz’s No. 7 jersey has been retired.

Bicsko said the 5K race has a number of sponsors, including Empower Somerset, which is administering a state Healthy Schools grant program for the Middlesex County Vocational and Technical School District.

“The goal of this run is also to promote healthy lifestyles,” he said.

The entry fees—$20 for Middlesex County residents and $22 for others for advance registration; $25 on the day of the race—will benefit a new scholarship fund in memory of Chrzaszcz.

“The hope is to support a graduating senior who is going to continue his or her education,” Bicsko said.

The race will start at 9 a.m. on April 28 at Crystal Springs Aquatic Center, 380 Dunhams Corner Road, East Brunswick. More information and online registration is available at www.compuscore.com or by calling the school at 732-254-8700.

The Middlesex County Vocational and Technical School District, the first vocational school district in the nation, has seven schools on five campuses, in East Brunswick, Edison, Piscataway, Perth Amboy and Woodbridge. The district will mark its centennial in 2014.

Follow Patch on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EastBrunswickPatch and like us. You can also find us on Twitter at twitter.com/EBrunswickPatch .