Northern Valley Students Launch LEAN Club to Fight Alzheimer’s

Northern Valley Demarest High School students are stepping up to make a difference with the launch of the LEAN Club (Let’s End Alzheimer’s Now). This new club, founded by Junior Rachel Weinberg at the start of the 2025-2026 school year, is all about raising awareness, getting the community involved, and generating meaningful financial support for the Alzheimer’s Association. For Rachel, the cause is deeply personal.  

“My paternal grandfather suffered for many years with Alzheimer’s, and my maternal grandmother is now facing the same battle,” she shared. “It’s heartbreaking to watch vibrant people slowly lose pieces of themselves. I wanted to do something that could help families like mine.”

Alzheimer's is a degenerative brain disease that is the most common cause of dementia. This disease causes deficits in memory, thinking and behavior serious enough to interfere with daily life. More than 7 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease, with millions more acting as caregivers for loved ones.

The LEAN Club participants are determined through their fundraising and raising awareness, to make a big impact in the community as well as join the worldwide effort to find better ways to treat the disease, delay its onset and prevent it from developing. LEAN is holding an online auction for the benefit of the Alzheimer’s Association on June 15, 2026 in conjunction with local businesses, which are donating gift cards, items and special experiences. 

This year, the LEAN Club has set an ambitious fundraising goal of $18,000. But Rachel and her fellow students are thinking even bigger. Their long‑term vision is to expand LEAN to other high schools across New Jersey, ultimately creating a statewide network of student‑driven Alzheimer’s advocacy.

“We want every high schooler in New Jersey to have the chance to stand up for this cause,” Rachel said. “The more voices we have, the more families we can help.”