SOMA Living December 2025

FROM THE DOCTOR DECEMBER: THE SEASON OF GIVING — GIVE THE GIFT OF HEALTH If I could speak for every high school student in the world, I would begin by sharing the intense pressure we feel to achieve “success”—a concept increasingly measured by numbers: grades, test scores, and résumés. Whether or not college is the path we envision, most of us are immersed in a curriculum that equates future success with academic performance and extracurricular involvement. In this environment, volunteer work becomes not only a requirement but a reflection of leadership and personal growth. At Columbia High School, the National Honor Society (NHS) is the cornerstone of student-led service. It promotes activities ranging from writing kind notes to middle schoolers and playing games in the Step-Up program, to tutoring through Achieve. NHS fosters academic excellence and integrity, encouraging students to give back to the MAPSO community and embrace service as a vital part of education. For many, these experiences blend classroom lessons with real-world impact. However, once students venture beyond school grounds, volunteering can feel daunting. Programs like MEND and the Our Lady of Sorrows Food Pantry offer abundant opportunities to serve, extending the values NHS instills. Yet recent cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) under the Trump Administration have made it harder for these organizations to meet growing needs. Students eager to help often face financial barriers when asked to donate supermarket goods. Still, service work outside of school remains deeply relevant and impactful in the SOMA community. Columbia students learn that success is not solely defined by academic rigor or activity logs, but by adaptability and action—turning obligations into relationships and making a meaningful difference in the lives of others

South Orange Rehabilitation & Wellness We provide professional, individualized and effective physical therapy. Our health and wellness interventions promote healthy living and enhanced quality of life for all athletes and patients.

Specializing in: • Post Surgical Knee & Shoulder • Spinal Decompression for Herniated and Bulging Discs • Cold Laser to Increase Healing

SouthOrangeRehab.com (973) 761-0077 177 Valley Street, South Orange, New Jersey 07079

email us at AtlanticConcepts@hotmail.com to schedule a free estimate www.atlantic-concepts.com (386) 344-3894 Atlantic Concepts is a family owned business that has been serving the SOMA community for over 10 years. Its founder, Eddie Cevallos and family are proud residents of Maplewood. Specializing in kitchens, bathrooms, additions, etc, Atlantic Concepts would love to hear your ideas for your projects. Please give us a call for a free estimate.

Dr. Michael Mozia PT, DPT, OCS, Cert.MDT, CSCS 2011-Bachelor of Science in Biology-Seton Hall University. 2014-Doctoral Degree in Physical Therapy-S Seton Hall University 2014-Recipient of the American Physical Therapy Associate Minority Initiative Award.

DECEMBER 2025 | SOMA LIVING 23

@somalivingmagazine