8th Grade Applicants – How to Apply

Getting Started 

PEP will open a special admissions cycle for current 8th grade students at Lawton C. Johnson Middle School who want to join the program beginning February 1, 2027.

Applications will be accepted from October 15 through November 15, 2026.

Step 1 – Confirm Your Eligibility (see below)

To be considered for the PEP Program, the applicant must: 

  • Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident with a green card
  • Reside in the city of Summit, NJ
  • Be enrolled as a 8th-grade student at Lawton C. Johnson Summit Middle School
  • Be from a family with demonstrated financial need
  • Be self-motivated, with a desire to go beyond a high school degree
  • Show intellectual curiosity and an open mind to new experiences and learning
  • Demonstrate a record of academic success
  • Display and maintain a positive attitude
  • Show a strong family commitment to the applicant’s success 
Step 2 – Submit Online Application

The application window is currently closed. No applications are being processed at this time. You may submit your online application beginning October 15.

Step 3 – Complete Academic Records Release and Financial Verification Paperwork

The PEP Program serves children from families with demonstrated financial need. To verify that students financially qualify for PEP, parents/guardians will be asked to submit proof of income, a financial disclosure statement, and a form allowing Summit Public Schools to release the student’s academic records to the PEP Program. If you have questions about the financial verification process, please email us at info@pepprogramnj.org or call (908) 277-1106.

Step 4 – Student and Family Interviews

Selected finalists will be contacted for an interview. All interviews are conducted online. Both the student and the parent(s) are required to participate. Students and parents who do not attend their interviews will not be eligible for program participation. 

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