Donate to the Kevin J. Maher Scholarship Fund

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Erik Maher and Karin Maher are organizing this fundraiser.

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The Kevin J. Maher Memorial Scholarship Fund intends to help with the cost of attending college for a graduating senior of Applied Technology High School in Paramus, New Jersey.

Donations can be made via this page or via checks payable to Bergen County Technical Schools (Ender Hall, 400 Paramus Road, Paramus, NJ 07652, attn Dennis Montone, principal), with a notation for the Kevin J. Maher Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Mr. Maher taught at ATHS from its founding in 2015 until his death from pancreatic cancer in February of 2025. An educator dedicated to his craft and his students, Mr. Maher spent countless hours engaging, motivating, and mentoring students. From sports games and theater productions to prom, from awards ceremonies and musical performances to graduation, there was hardly a school-related event on weekends and evenings that he didn’t attend. He supported his students in their every endeavor and earned his place as the beloved, passionate, and endearing “grandfather” of the ATHS community.

We in Mr. Maher’s family were so incredibly touched by the dozens upon dozens of heartfelt letters and cards we have recently received from the ATHS community. They reveal the profound and far-reaching impact Mr. Maher had on his students, the many lives he touched. We have included some excerpts from them below, and hope that they might show what a special person he was.

This scholarship fund aims to honor his legacy.

We love him tremendously and are going to miss him so very much.

Mr. Maher encouraged students to believe in themselves, even when they felt like nobody else did

“In high school, you were the only person who looked at me and said “You’re going to be an engineer.” Those words, they have stuck with me forever.”
“Because of you, I started to believe in myself. You made me feel seen when I felt like no one could see me…Your words motivated me to become the version of myself that you always believed I could be.”
“Because of you, I pushed myself to pursue not only my bachelor’s degree but also my master’s degree, and I’m now continuing on the path to medical school. I can honestly say that none of this would have been possible without your guidance.”
“I still remember the way you encouraged me to think beyond what I thought I was capable of, and how you always believed in my potential, even when I doubted myself.”

Mr. Maher made sure everyone felt welcome at ATHS:

“Mr. Maher, as humans we may forget dates and times, but we never forget how someone made us feel.”
“I remember feeling so lost in high school, and you were the only teacher who noticed.”
“Entering high school, especially a technical one, was overwhelming and almost alienating to me. Your guidance and presence brough comfort and a feeling of being at home.”
“Adjusting to ATHS was tough - I was worried I wouldn’t fit in or I would be judged. But you, in your own way, made me feel welcome. You were always kind (even when you weren’t, haha).”
“Kevin, there was something about you - you made everyone feel special, even when you were being “mean” to us.”
“Before I had you as my teacher I was truly thinking of leaving ATHS…Truly, thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing us to use all of our creative potential in class.”
“Mr. Maher, you were the only one who believed in me getting into that new soccer team.”

He made sure that his classes were something students would look forward to:

“Engineering wasn’t my first choice but you made coming to school everyday something I actually looked forward to.”
“I would always look forward to your class in the mornings and I remember the freedom you’d give us to be able to build however we wanted to.”
“Everyday being in your class brought me genuine happiness and put a smile on my face. You always brightened my day.”

Humor (a distinctly dry variety) was one of his favorite ways to connect with students:

“I can’t not mention your impeccable humor. Your effortlessly comical character was my introduction to dry humor. You and your funny comments made our high school years.”
“We both agreed that behind your hilarious dry humor and sarcasm, there is a man of brilliance. Perhaps one of the most brilliant humans we have ever met.”
“Even though you joked around with us and pretended to be mean, I always knew you were secretly very nice and sweet.”

He offered valuable advice for college and career decisions:

“One conversation with you during my senior year actually changed the entire trajectory of my life, and that sentiment will stay with me for the rest of my life. You not only provided us with education but (also) with so much wisdom.”
“You were truly the first mentor in my life that pushed me to pursue architecture as a career. You instilled confidence in me early on as a designer and future architect. And for that I can’t thank you enough.”
“Thank you for inspiring me and motivating me to chase my dreams and become an engineer.”
“I may not have become an engineer but I was able to follow my dreams and become a pilot and that’s thanks to you…”
“Without your words and encouragement, I cannot confidently say I would have continued my education or desired a career.”

Many students cited him as an inspiration. Others called him the best teacher they’d ever had:

“Over the years, I’ve had dozens of teachers, some good, some bad, even high ranking engineers at NASA. I would still easily put you at number one on my list. It is very rare to have a teacher that genuinely inspires students to learn and think outside of the box, while caring about them becoming the best versions of themselves.”

Some even said that he inspired them to become teachers and make a difference in the world themselves:

“I hope one day that I can be a teacher, and inspire students the way that you have inspired me.”
“I will live to spread love and positivity as you have.”
“Because of you, I realized that my true passion is to teach. Your dedication, your love for what you do, and the way you connected with your students planted the seed for my own dream of becoming a teacher. I’m now pursuing that dream, and I carry everything you taught me– both academically and in how to be a compassionate, engaging educator– into my own future elementary classroom.
“I have thought about being a High School teacher…because of any teacher I had, you have always motivated me and inspired me to do more.”

And through it all, remained his quiet and humble self:

“You never wanted to take credit for the kind things you did for staff or students- you made me promise not to tell anyone it was your idea.”
“Also, you really had to be honorable and not tell anyone what you were going through, huh? Classic. Always setting the example, always making the rest of us feel like slackers.”
“The greatest lesson that he taught me was how to live despite life’s unfair circumstances. Kevin gave so much, accepting nothing in return.”

If you’ve managed to read this far, you will hopefully have some idea of what he meant to his students. They meant the world to him too. We deeply appreciate any and all donations to help give back to the ATHS community that meant so very much to Mr. Maher. Thank you ❤️

“In my yearbook you wrote, “Thanks for being a wonderful person, never change.” Now I say these same words to you. As I end this letter to you, thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for rooting for me and never giving up on me no matter the odds.”