Who We Are
SKJAJA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro area of North Carolina. We remove financial barriers so all students can benefit from meaningful enrichment opportunities outside of school. SKJAJA aims to close the opportunity gap for students grades K-12 in Orange County, NC.
Mission
Our mission is to level the playing field so that all youth grades K-12 have access to extracurricular opportunities that ignite their spark, deepen their connections to community and strengthen their leadership skills.
Why Enrichment?
Studies show that student participation in extracurricular activities: ​
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Increases self-confidence
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Improves learning engagement, school attendance, test scores, and grades
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Strengthens relationships with peers
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Offers connection with adult mentors
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Provides important life skills like goal-setting, teamwork, leadership, and time management
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Encourages self-exploration and personal growth
Founding story
Our name comes from the initials of members of the organization’s founding family: Scott, Kim, Josh, Ashley, Jessica, and Adam — SKJAJA was inspired by the family’s tradition of paying it forward. In 2006, Kim gave each of her family members $100 on her birthday in lieu of them giving her gifts. The catch? She asked them all to pay it forward and use the money to do something kind for someone else.
In 2008, SKJAJA’s founders Eric White, Charlotte Kirchgessner White, and Joan White created the SKJAJA Fund with just $200 and a community fundraiser called the “Beach Shack Boil” to raise money for SKJAJA scholarships. Together, they grew the organization into a volunteer-driven nonprofit dedicated to helping local students. Over time, SKJAJA expanded its reach, hired its first Executive Director in 2021, and has since awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships to thousands of youth in Orange County, NC.
“SKJAJA has been a prime resource for kids that have always been inspired to be like their classmates who can afford extracurricular activities. They hear kids talk about ballet, music classes, dance classes, trips to special places – some are from low income families and could not afford this for their children. Their kids could only dream [of] this thing. Parents cry because of the things kids are doing now, and it [would] not be possible if SKJAJA did not exist.”
Mariela Hernandez
Family Success Alliance Navigator