"Cultivate grit."

That was some of the advice the area's competitive young scholars in the Lehigh Valley and the Hunterdon, New Jersey area got from the Dean of Temple University's Beasley School of Law.

She wasn't talking about something for breakfast. JoAnne A. Epps Ph.D. was talking about that characteristic of sticking to the pursuit of the goal even when it gets tough.

"Focus on your pursuit of success – however you define it – with passion and perseverance. In other words, cultivate grit," Epps said.

She said grit is the best predictor of success in long-term pursuits; more than IQ, talent, socioeconomic position or family history.

Epps was in Bethlehem Township's Blue Event Center as the keynote speaker at Cohen, Feeley, Altemose & Rambo, PC law firm's 20th Annual "Best of the Best" scholarship award ceremony recently, where Lehigh Valley Christian High School graduate Carissa Clift was among the students who received a scholarship.

Partners from the law firm passed out scholarships to outstanding or "Best of the Best" high school seniors at the breakfast event.

The scholarship program awards the best two female high school seniors and best two male seniors selected from a list that the firm had been previously winnowed from applications.

All students selected from their high school received a $618 scholarship.

Representing Catasauqua High School was Class of 2014 student Jacob Rusnock.

Four students selected as a Best of the Best awardee each received $1,168 plus $100 to the charity of their choice.

The Best of the Best scholarship awardees were Parkland High School's Hannah Kim, Easton High School's Connor Mellett, Jared Bogdan of South Hunterdon Regional High School, N.J. and Warren Hill High School's, N.J., Adesola Sanusi.

The two Best of the Best students selected for their community service received $868 each. They also receive $500 each from Team Capital who helped sponsor the event.

The Best of the Best program also donated $100 in the name of each student to the charities of their choice.

The "Best of the Best" competition drew applicants from 37 high schools in Pennsylvania and in New Jersey.