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About Us
We are proof that the collective support of a community has enormous power to help its young people achieve their potential and affect change in their world.
About Us
We are proof that the collective support of a community has enormous power to help its young people achieve their potential and affect change in their world.
We are proof that the collective support of a community has enormous power to help its young people achieve their potential and affect change in their world.
The Foundation
The Winchester Scholarship Foundation is a voluntary non-profit organization dedicated to providing need-based financial aid to students who have graduated from Winchester High School. The Scholarship Committee composed of five Winchester residents, awards scholarships based upon unmet family financial need. Since its establishment in 1945, the WSF has been supporting students during their four college years as well as students pursuing graduate degrees. Income from endowed gifts from organizations and individuals as well as annual contributions are the principal source of funding.
December 9, 2021
By Edward Lamson
This article originally appeared in the online edition of The Woburn Daily Times Chronicle.
The Winchester Scholarship Foundation recently completed its 76th year and began its 77th year by awarding a record $558,682 to 146 Winchester High School graduates. This year’s awards represent a 15.2% increase over the previous year when $484,700 was awarded to 133 graduates. The average award of $3,827 was an all-time high. During the previous five years 694 scholarships totaling $2,468,931 were awarded.
The WHS Class of 2021 received 47 awards for $164,850. Continuing college students received 90 awards. Graduate student awards continue to grow with nine students receiving $37,000.
The Scholarship Committee composed of six Winchester residents: Stephanie Altavilla, Chair, Karen Garrett, Michael Houllahan, Bernadette Kearney, Heidi Rosenfeld and Mary Werlin worked diligently during the Spring and Summer to analyze the applications and recommend each of the need-based awards. Many college employees working from home complicated the process.
WSF funds are provided by community contributions, funds managed by outside institutions, and 50 endowed funds created during the past fifty years to recognize and honor Winchester residents and organizations. The fifty endowed funds are instrumental to the ability of the WSF to grow its awards. Three Winchester residents, Bob Willing, Dave Donahue, and Alan Macdonald are WSF trustees who manage the funds contributed to the fifty endowed funds. The WSF follows a policy of distributing 4.5% of the value of the endowed funds each year. This policy has allowed the WSF to grow awards and increase the value of the endowed funds.
The WSF in concert with John Sullivan’s family are creating the John S. Sullivan Scholarship Fund. Many gifts have been received primarily from Winchester residents to recognize John’s extraordinary service to Winchester. During John’s life, he spent 37 years as the Winchester Town Moderator, 37 years as the Chairman of the Winchester Cooperative Bank, and three terms as a Selectman of the Town of Winchester.
For additional information concerning the WSF, the recently updated WSF website can be accessed at www.winchestersf.org. The website provides an in depth review of our history with great detail on the background of the donors to each of the endowed funds.