Long before leadership titles and community recognition, Aiden Vonegloffstein was learning what it meant to serve in the most ordinary moments.
As a child, his mother taught him to notice when someone needed help, to carry groceries for a neighbor, to lend a hand without being asked, to show up for others simply because it mattered. Those early lessons became the foundation of who he is.
Today, that same instinct to serve defines Aiden, the 2026 recipient of the Stein Family Scholarship. He will attend JMU.
A senior at Kempsville High School, Aiden has built a strong record of leadership and community involvement, from mentoring elementary school students to volunteering extensively and serving as a student representative on the Virginia Beach Resort Advisory Committee.
“I’ve just always been taught to help,” Aiden says. “If anyone calls, I’m there.”
His approach is grounded in servant leadership. “You’re not being a leader to grow yourself; you’re being a leader to grow others,” he says. “And then you grow with them.”
That commitment to serving others is also deeply rooted in his Jewish identity. From helping at synagogue to founding and leading the Jewish Student Association at Kempsville High School, Aiden has carried those values into his everyday life.
That mindset is shaping his future. Aiden plans to study hospitality and tourism management alongside business administration. He hopes to return to Virginia Beach to support local, family-owned businesses and create shared spaces that bring people together. “I really just want to help the local community thrive,” he says.
The Stein Family Scholarship, created in memory of Arlene Shea Stein, reflects a legacy of compassion and a belief that education should be accessible to all.
“This scholarship gave me options,” Aiden says. “If I don’t have to work just to pay off debt, I can put that energy into helping others and making a bigger impact.”
Naomi Limor Sedek, Tidewater Jewish Foundation president and CEO, says, “When we see young leaders like Aiden, alongside families like the Steins who continue to invest in the next generation, we are reminded that the future of our Jewish community is strong. We can move forward with confidence knowing it is in the hands of individuals who are deeply committed to service, leadership, and lifting others.”
For Aiden, the opportunity carries responsibility. “It’s not just about what this does for me,” he says. “It’s about everyone I’ll be able to help because of it.” And in that way, the lessons he learned as a child continue to ripple outward, shaping not only his path, but the lives he will touch along the way. “There’s no such thing as a missed opportunity. Just opportunities that lead you somewhere different.”
