IN Brentwood-Baldwin-Whitehall Summer 2024 | Page 33

The Baldwin-Whitehall Educational Foundation Premieres Three New Scholarships

The Baldwin-Whitehall Educational Foundation is constantly expanding its work to uplift education in our community . This year , the foundation has added three new scholarships to the already robust portfolio available to seniors graduating Baldwin High School .
Supporting Students through The Brady Family Scholarship
Cris and Tony Brady were able to attend college thanks to the generosity of their parents . In the years since , they have seen the profound impact that has had on their own lives . They decided to carry forward that legacy by funding a scholarship for a senior graduating from Baldwin High School . The Brady Family Scholarship is a $ 5,000 annual scholarship which will be awarded to a student with demonstrated academic achievement and community spirit who has financial need . They didn ’ t want money to be an obstacle for a student who wants to go to college and has the aptitude to excel . “ If we could in some way help another young person who is trying to close the gap on funds for college , we knew that it would be well spent ,” says Cris .
The Bradys are grateful to extend the legacy of education that their parents entrusted to them . Cris reflects , “ We ’ re excited and humbled ourselves . Our parents would be proud to know that it ’ s through their efforts that we ’ re able to do this .”

Growing Educational Opportunities aldwin-Whitehall BALDWIN-WHITEHALL SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS

Whitehall Green Thumbers Garden Club , a community group that has been around for nearly 50 years , provides monthly educational programs to stimulate interest in horticulture and the dissemination of gardening knowledge . The organization maintains the planting at the Whitehall Borough Library area , supports Phipps Conservatory and The Pittsburgh Botanic Garden , and other environmental and horticultural endeavors .
The group recently seeded a scholarship to support a student pursuing a degree in horticulture . Lois Erdman of the Green Thumbers shares , " This endeavor was enthusiastically embraced by our members as a way to have some of our funds benefit B-W students in the pursuit of a career path we embrace ."
Making the Dreams of Young Entrepreneurs a Reality
The Baldwin-Whitehall Educational Foundation has been an ardent advocate of graduates of Baldwin High School . Since 2019 , they have funded over $ 60,000 in scholarships that enable students to pursue their academic goals . Recently , the foundation turned its attention to supporting students who don ’ t pursue post-secondary education .
Erik Arroyo , President of the Foundation , shares , “ About 10 % of the senior class annually enters the workforce fulltime after high school instead of pursuing a post-secondary education . That ' s a sizeable population and one that the Foundation has not engaged in any way .” Arroyo approached local business owner Bruce Bobak of Definitely You and suggested that the annual fundraiser BWEF holds at Definitely You be dedicated to a new scholarship to support young people pursuing a career directly after high school . “ Bruce is a self-employed small business owner whose career journey began shortly after high school and had followed a similar course to entrepreneurial success himself . He saw enormous value in this initiative ,” says Arroyo . A fundraiser sale at Definitely You raised $ 4,500 to establish the new Entering the Workforce Scholarship .
BRENTWOOD-BALDWIN-WHITEHALL ❘ SUMMER 2024 31