PWHS Senior Stern Wins $10k Firstrust Bank Scholarship

Congratulations to Plymouth-Whitemarsh senior Rachel Stern, who was the top-winner in this year's 43rd annual Samuel A. Green Scholarship program, taking home the top award of $10,000.

The program is sponsored by Firstrust Bank, and recognizes approximately 20 area high school students who submitted essays on how their college experience will help them give back to the greater community.

Senior Samantha Herman was also selected for a $1,000 prize.

Below is a full press release detailing the scholarship:

Firstrust Bank is proud to recognize the winners of its 43rd annual Samuel A. Green Scholarship program, one of the region’s longest running high school scholarship programs. Recipients of this year’s scholarship competition were recognized at an awards ceremony last week at The Franklin Institute. Following the awards ceremony, recipients were invited to tour the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit which recently opened at The Franklin Institute.

“The Franklin Institute is a place where work of some of the world’s greatest innovators has been on display and is a place where science and creation are celebrated,” said Richard J. Green, C.E.O. and Vice Chairman of Firstrust. “The goal of this scholarship competition is to encourage students to think about how they can use their education to blaze their own trails and leave a positive impact on their communities along the way.”

Receiving a college education and using it to give back to the community were among the core values of Firstrust founder Samuel A. Green. Today, the bank remains committed to these same values and has honored young people in the region who do the same through its annual scholarship program.

Firstrust awarded $40,000 as part of this year’s Samuel A. Green Scholarship program. The 19 scholarship recipients were selected based on their written responses to a topic that is rooted in the mission of Firstrust, “How My College Education Will Help Me Cultivate Prosperity in My Community.”

Top honors included Plymouth Whitemarsh High School student, Rachel Stern, who received the Grand Prize of $10,000; and Father Judge High School senior, Anthony Langenbach; Jack M Barrack Hebrew Academy senior, Zoe Kress; and Council Rock South High School senior Hannah Brooks, each received $5,000 scholarships.

Fifteen other high school seniors from across the region each received $1,000 scholarships:

• Mitchell Bluestein, Central High School
• Tanaisha Coleman, Mercy Vocational High School
• Nancy Comden, Souderton High School
• Marlee Geiger, Springfield High School
• Samantha Herman, Plymouth Whitemarsh High School
• Christopher Konieczny, Upper Darby High School
• Sarah Krmpotich, Mount Saint Joseph Academy
• Adam Lewis, Pennsbury High School
• Elana Lowell, Moravian Academy
• Tyler McAndrew, Council Rock North
• Allison McCallister, Bishop McDevitt High School
• Saundria Moed, North Penn High School
• Jaclyn Scott, Central Bucks West High School
• Madeline Shutt, Radnor High School
• Erin Steingraber, Souderton Area High School

The Samuel A. Green Scholarship Program has helped Firstrust award almost a million dollars to more than 1,000 area college-bound students and families in the past 43 years.

“We have been awarding scholarships for many years now, but every year I am even more impressed and inspired by the ambitions of our students,” said Mr. Green. “Students are our future and education is the key to their success, and it is an honor to support these incredible youth as they embark on pursing their incredible dreams.”