Earl and Mary and Gary W. Redner Scholarship Fund
The Earl and Mary Redner Scholarship Fund will provide six $2,000 one-year scholarships to employees of Redner’s Markets, Inc. or to children or step-children of employees of Redner’s Markets, Inc., who will be furthering their education as full-time college students or graduate students in the upcoming school year. The ideal candidate will have displayed academic success, overall excellence of character, and potential for community contributions and leadership.
Three scholarships will be awarded in the name of Earl and Mary Redner and three in the name of Gary W. Redner. One application will be considered for both scholarships. Eligible employees must have one year of continuous service with Redner’s Markets, Inc., in order for the employee or employee’s child or step-child to apply. Eligible employees must work a minimum of 15 hours per week in the prior year in order for the employee or employee’s step-child to apply. An employee who is an applicant, or an employee parent representing an applicant, must continue to be an active Redner’s employee at the time of the scholarship announcement to be eligible to receive award. Payment may not be postponed to another academic year. Recipients may reapply in future years; however, there will be no preferential treatment to repeat applicants. *Applicants may win the Redner’s scholarship no more than twice.*
The Earl and Mary Redner Scholarship Fund was created in 1997 and the Gary W. Redner Scholarship Fund was created in 2008, each to honor their contributions to the food industry and to the employees of Redner’s Markets. The scholarships are named to honor Earl and Mary Redner, co-founders of Redner’s Markets, and the late Gary W. Redner. In 2009, the Earl & Mary Redner and Gary W. Redner Scholarship Fund was transferred to Berks County Community Foundation.
Sweet Street Desserts Scholarship Fund
The Sweet Street Desserts Scholarship Fund is for children of Sweet Street Desserts’ employees. Sweet Street employees must have been employed at Sweet Street Desserts for a minimum of one year in order for their child to be eligible to apply, and must be active, non-union employees at the time of the child’s award.
Scholarships are provided for 4-year academic pursuits, and for vocational/technical education. Children of Sweet Street Desserts, Inc. employees are eligible to apply as long as they are pursuing an education after high school as full-time students at a 4-year college or university to pursue a 4-year degree, or as full-time students at a vocational, technical, computer, trade school or community college to pursue a vocational or technical education.
All applicants must intend to maintain full-time student status in school, have demonstrated academic success, be actively involved in school and community activities, and have a financial need. Preference will be given to high school seniors.
Applicants shall exhibit a strong commitment to academic achievement, or demonstrate a special talent in the vocational or technical area. The intent is to acknowledge and encourage those individuals who have demonstrated a level of personal responsibility necessary to attend and succeed in a continuing educational institution.
Officer Scott A. Wertz Memorial Berks County Scholarship Fund
Officer Scott A. Wertz was a lifelong resident of Berks County, Pennsylvania. He attended Reading and Wilson School Districts before graduating from Wilson High School in 1984. He graduated from the Reading Police Academy in 1994 and again in 1997. Prior to that, he worked as a Correctional Officer at Berks County Prison and also worked part-time for the Sinking Spring and South Heidelberg Township police departments. He joined the Reading Police Department in 1997. He worked in the Patrol Division, was a Field Training Officer (FTO), and was on the Auto Theft Task Force — a part of the criminal investigations division. On August 6, 2006, Officer Wertz died in the line of duty. At the time of his death, he was survived by a wife and two sons. Throughout his life, Officer Wertz exemplified what service and heroism are all about. He excelled in his profession. He lived life with zest and charisma. His service made a difference in his community. He touched many people’s lives in many ways. He always had a smile on his face. He loved his family, friends, football, playing softball, his job, the Dallas Cowboys, the New York Yankees, the City of Reading, and life. He died doing what he loved to do. He truly was a hero, not just in how he died but in how he lived as well. This scholarship was established in 2006 by Scott’s family to honor his memory.
This fund will support one or more scholarships for graduating seniors who are children of police officers serving in Berks County, or for graduating seniors who attend Wilson High School (Scott’s alma mater), or for graduating seniors who are players, umpires or children or grandchildren of players or umpires in the Reading Softball Association.
Applicants must plan to continue their education after high school, with preference given to students planning a career in law enforcement, law, criminal justice or a related field. Preference will also be given to applicants who reside in Berks County over those applicants who are not Berks County residents.
Henry E. Williams, Jr. Memorial Golf Award
The Henry E. Williams, Jr. Memorial Golf Award Fund was established in 2002 in memory of Henry by his family. Henry was a long-time professional golfer and retired head pro at Moselem Springs Golf Club.
The purpose of the fund is to provide an annual scholarship to a male or female senior from one of the Berks County school districts (public or parochial) who is planning to attend college to major in the Professional Golf Management Program, or a student who is enrolling in the PGA Club Professional School, or a student who intends to play on a college golf team. Preference will be given to applicants in that order. Applicants planning to major in a golf field must be attending a certified institution.
Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Fund
This fund provides scholarships for Berks County children who live within the attendance boundary of a low-achieving K-12 school to attend another school. Applicants must be residents of Berks County, Pennsylvania, and the parents/guardians of a student in grades K-12. Families will be notified about decisions by June 30. In most years, fewer than twenty families receive scholarships with preference going to previous recipients. New recipients are selected based on financial need.
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The Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) Program provides scholarships to residents of Berks County who have a financial need and who reside within the attendance boundary of a state-defined low-achieving school and plan to attend a school that is participating in the program.
Applications will open May 15 and will close May 31.
For a list of frequently asked questions from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, click here.
Private School Tuition Assistance Fund
This fund was established to assist students who attend parochial schools in Berks County and demonstrate financial need.
*No application is required for consideration of support from this fund. Scholarships will be awarded in cooperation with the Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program and the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program.
Antietam Scholarship Fund
Scholarships will be awarded to graduating Antietam High School students who will be pursuing post-secondary education as full-time students. Scholarship recipients will exhibit strong commitment to academic achievement by having at least a B average, and will have been actively involved in both school and community activities. The intent is to acknowledge and reward those students who otherwise might not receive recognition for their efforts through other awards and scholarships, and to provide financial assistance to those students with demonstrated financial need.
This fund honors the memories of Cortney Ann Kelly, Troy M. DeNunzio and Linda Evans.
Jim Brett Global Conservation Education Fund
The Jim Brett Global Conservation Education Fund was established to provide support for persons who are citizens of a country other than the United States of America to study environmental management, particularly, but not exclusively, at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary (Kempton, PA).
Howard D. and Rose E. Goodwin Scholarship Fund
Scholarships will be awarded annually to students who reside in the Antietam School District area and are graduating from Antietam High School. The recipients must be pursuing a college education and be in need of financial assistance.
No application is needed. This scholarship is awarded by a committee at Antietam High School, with consideration given to all Antietam seniors.
Boyertown AMBUCS Scholarship Fund
The American Business Club (AMBUCS) is an organization dedicated to creating mobility and independence for people with disabilities. The first AMBUCS chapter was founded in Birmingham, Alabama in 1922. The Boyertown area chapter of AMBUCS was chartered on March 29, 1980 under the leadership of Boyertown business owner James C. Webb, with support from the Pottstown AMBUCS chapter. In 2005, the Boyertown AMBUCS chapter established this fund at Berks County Community Foundation to perpetuate its scholarship program. This fund will support graduating seniors of Boyertown Area Senior High School who plan to further their education after high school in one of the following fields of study: physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, music therapy, or audiology. Preference will be given to students entering the above fields of study; however, if there are no qualified applicants who are pursuing one of the above fields of study, then students who intend to study in any other medical field will also be considered. The selected individuals will be students who exhibit a strong commitment to academics and dedication to their extracurricular school or community activities. This scholarship is also based on financial need.
