Scholarship created in honor of Bronx son slain by gun violence

A newly formed scholarship in honor of a young Bronx man is asking how to reduce the epidemic of gun violence.

News 12 Staff

Nov 6, 2020, 4:45 PM

Updated 1,499 days ago

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A newly formed scholarship in honor of a young Bronx man is asking how to reduce the epidemic of gun violence.
Jerome Lane says his son Devante Lane was the unintended victim of gun violence.
"He was my world, he was my only son…he wanted to be a graphic designer. He was into his music and was part of a rap group. He just had a lot of things going on, and his life was cut too short," Jerome Lane says.
As people reached out to him to give condolences, Lane's coworkers at Finz and Finz wanted to do something big.
"The next thing I know, I get a call from Stuart saying they wanted to do something to keep my son, Devante's name alive, and they offered to put together this scholarship," Lane says.
He and Stuart Finz have worked together for 30 years, so it was important to help the family.
"I wanted to do something to help stop this senseless violence," Finz says.
This is how the Devante Lane Scholarship came about.
Those from the Bronx enrolled in high school or college can apply and answer this question, "How would you use your college education to give back to the Bronx community, and reduce the epidemic of gun violence in New York?"
"Not only will it be helping young students who want to go to college with a financial reward for winning scholarship, but I think we'll be doing something even greater than that on a much broader span, and that is to help the community of the Bronx and other neighboring communities put an end or at least slow down this rapid growth of gun violence," Finz says.
Lane adds, "I feel like it is a step in the right direction because, right now, I am kind of feeling helpless with the whole situation, so doing something is really therapeutic, if anything."
The scholarship application can be found online. Submissions close in December.