Reading-Berks Association of Realtors® Scholarship Fund
This scholarship was established in 2003 by the Reading-Berks Association of Realtors to recognize outstanding high school seniors who are attending a Berks County high school and will continue their education in a business program.
The fund honors two late leaders in the Berks County real estate community who left a major imprint on their profession. Herbert Bellairs, who died in 2002, was a Realtor for more than 50 years. He founded his own firm and served his profession admirably as president of both the Reading-Berks and Pennsylvania Associations of Realtors. He literally “wrote the book” on real estate procedures, as his Real Estate Fundamentals and Practices is required reading for individuals seeking a real estate license in Pennsylvania. The Bellairs family was instrumental in significantly increasing the value of this fund. Christos Vardaxis, Jr. died in 2003 at the young age of 36 years. A Realtor for only three years, he amassed a record of achievement in his profession that belied his years. He was an active member of his professional association and was a rising leader at the time of his death.
The ideal scholarship recipient will be a student who best exemplifies the legacies of Messrs. Bellairs and Vardaxis: namely an entrepreneurial student with an aptitude for business, a history of leadership in school activities, and a record of service to his or her community.
The fund provides scholarships to seniors at Berks County high schools with financial need who are continuing their education in a business program and who have obtained a high school cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above on a scale of 4.0.
St. Andrew United Methodist Church Scholarship Fund
This scholarship was established at Berks County Community Foundation in 2006 by Dr. Deborah Patt to provide scholarships for members of St. Andrew United Methodist Church who are high school seniors and whose scholastic record indicates success in education. The recipient must demonstrate financial need, responsibility of citizenship, character and Christian attitude, and be furthering their education after high school as full-time students. If no students are identified in any given year, the annual distribution should be granted to the church for general operating support.
Redner Family Scholarship Fund
The Redner Family 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. In 2025, the name of the fund was changed to Redner Family Scholarship Fund.
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).
