× A scholarship for higher education is life-changing; just ask Laura Burns, a teacher in Hazlet who wanted to continue graduate work to reach her goal in school administration. As a middle school language arts and social studies teacher, Burns dreamed of taking the next step, but realized the financial hurdles to make it happen would be an obstacle. She applied to the Eastern Monmouth Area Chamber of Commerce (EMACC) Educational Foundation for its annual scholarship and the rest is history, or her story, according to a press release. Burns was one of 12 recipients of an EMACC scholarship in 2019. She was awarded a $2,000 scholarship, which is designed to help non-traditional students. Burns knew what she wanted to do and she needed a master’s degree to accomplish her goals.