For the past 53 years, the Green Family Foundation has supported local high schoolers in pursuit of college degrees. It has done so in collaboration with Firstrust Bank, overseeing a scholarship program with far-reaching implications.

The charitable outreach is again committing to help area students gain an advanced degree from which to launch a lucrative career.

“The Green Family Foundation and Firstrust are excited to continue to support regional high school students as they pursue higher education,” said Richard J. Green, Trustee of the Foundation and Chairman and CEO of Firstrust.”

He continued: “The Samuel A. Green Scholarship Program is built on the legacy of my grandfather, Firstrust’s founder, who was a staunch believer in encouraging students to pursue their education and fulfill their dreams. And for 53 years, we’ve been helping students in the Greater Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley regions do just that.

“It’s an honor to uphold his legacy and to assist those who are committed to using their education to make a substantial impact in their community,” Green concluded.

Eligibility

The scholarship program welcomes applicants who are:

• High school graduating seniors from a public, private, parochial or charter school
• Home-schooled students
• Technical school graduates
• GED recipients

Applications are also limited to legal, U.S. students from the Greater Philadelphia or Lehigh Valley areas who plan to attend a four-year, not-for-profit, accredited college or a community college.

Scholars will receive a one-year award of $2,500–$10,000 toward their first year of college. Those attending community college are eligible to receive awards of $1,000–$5,000.

Ineligible to participate are students who are:

• Already enrolled in a college or university
• 30+ years old as of March 6, 2022
• Connected in any way to the Green Family Foundation or Firstrust Bank

Applying

The application consists of a student-written essay to the following question: How will you use your college education to help make a substantial impact in your community?

Only one essay per student may be submitted.

The deadline is March 6, 2022.

Evaluation and Awards

Once essays are assessed, the top 75 applicants will be notified of their status as semifinalists; these notices will be issued in late-March 2022.

These students must then submit a letter of recommendation from someone attesting to their demonstrated leadership skills.

Winners will be announced in early May.

2021 Winners

The 2021 three grand prize winners of $10,000 each were:

• Alexandra Charlton of Central Bucks High School South
• Andre Washington of B. Reed Henderson High School
• Chelsea Yang of Cherry Hill High School East

Charlton’s leadership skills are already emerging.

She has been an engaged fundraiser for Camp Kesem, a national organization that provides camp experiences to children who lost a parent to cancer. The outreach is dear to her, having enjoyed the camp following her own father’s passing in 2016 from small lung cancer.