Scholarships & Awards

In 1997, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Wiltbank established and funded two scholarships to be awarded annually in honor of their daughter, Mrs. Marsh Wiltbank Uebler. Marsh volunteered as a morning aide in ECI, served on the Board of Trustees and the Steering Committee for the Square Foot Fund, and chaired the 1990 auction and 1994 holiday festival. The Ueblers’ son, Tom, is a member of the Class of '95. These two scholarships are awarded to a boy and girl in fourth grade each Founders’ Day. The honorees demonstrate sound academic performance and good citizenship with a potential for leadership and service within the school and the community. Qualities of kindness, consideration for others, gentleness and good humor should be evident in their character.

This scholarship was established in 1986 by former Independence teacher Mrs. Mary Lou DiMaio in memory of her husband, Mr. Jack DiMaio, and in appreciation of his kindness, wit, and enthusiasm for learning. In 1997, this fund began providing two scholarships per year, one for a boy and one for a girl. The criteria for this award, open to all rising sixth-grade students, include scholarship, personal integrity and character, outstanding citizenship, potential success and service to the school and financial need.

In 1986, Independence suffered the loss of one of its most loyal supporters, Mr. William Braune, husband of Mrs. Gail Braune, a former Independence teacher, and father of Stacey '84. To perpetuate Bill’s memory and the ideals he valued, his wife and daughter established this scholarship to honor a boy and a girl in seventh grade who best exemplify Mr. Braune’s beliefs. The criteria for this award include a student’s love of sports and encouragement of others while not seeking “star status.” The student should persevere and enjoy involvement in sports even if he or she isn't in a starting role.

This award honors the memory of Mrs. Anne Hurt, a valiant friend and an outstanding educator, who taught English at Independence for six years and was the mother of two alumni, Christi ’85 and Charles ’87. In 1986, Dr. John Hurt established this scholarship for the two Middle School students who most closely achieve the qualities inherent in Mrs. Hurt’s character. These students should demonstrate academic excellence, personal integrity and character, service to the school and involvement in school life. These students should also be those whose maturity allows them to be humble, humorous and kind. Financial need is also taken into consideration.

This memorial award was established in 1987 by Dr. Joan Neikirk, an Independence teacher, and her sister, Mrs. Virginia Vermillion, to honor their father, Mr. William H. Cantwell, a true appreciator of good music. It was later expanded to honor their mother, Margaret, also an appreciator of music. They were the grandparents of two alumnae, Katherine '88 and Julia '90. The Cantwell Award for musical excellence is open to all Middle School students and is awarded to two students per year who demonstrate exceptional musicianship, diligent study and preparation and a positive attitude toward all aspects of band work.

This award is presented at graduation by the Middle School Science Program in honor of Mrs. Linda Stapleford, a former science teacher and parent of Tom '88 and Liza '91. This recognizes a graduating eighth-grade student who enhanced significantly the quality of the school’s science program through voluntary service, such as preparing materials for experiments and cataloging equipment.

This is an annual award first given at graduation 2007 in memory of Mr. Rod Hammett, an English teacher and “Man for all Seasons,” to recognize an eighth-grade student who exemplifies Mr. Hammett’s wit, appreciation of language and love of reading.

The Board Presidents' Scholarship was established in 1986 and recognizes the service of all the individuals who have served Independence as President of the Board of Trustees. In our turn, we recognize one student each year who personifies our school's core values by awarding a scholarship worth $3,500 applied directly to tuition. An applicant must be a rising seventh- or eighth-grade student and must submit a formal application and an essay in order to be considered. Applicants are judged on the basis of overall academic achievement, contribution to school life, personal character and essay. A committee of faculty, administrators, and the Head of School selects the winner.  

This award honors the memory of Mrs. Helena Ashwell, who, from Independence’s founding, taught French and Spanish and was head of the language department for 23 years. Helena’s love for the school was shared with her daughter Kim, who worked in Early Childhood, and grandchildren Katie, Kayla and Nikolas, who attended Independence before relocating to Phoenix, Arizona. The criteria for this award recognizes a graduating eighth grader who excelled in the world language arts and also demonstrated academic excellence, outstanding citizenship and service to the school.

This award was established by Dr. and Mrs. Michael Klein to honor Mrs. Patricia A. Ireland for her tireless devotion to students at The Independence School. Listening to concerns carefully, evaluating them thoroughly, and creating resolutions that put the students’ well-being foremost, Patti served as a role model for all faculty.

The award recognizes the exceptional Independence faculty from ECI through middle school. Each year, the achievements of one individual from this dedicated faculty are celebrated and shared at the spring commencement exercises. The recipients exemplify the attributes of Mrs. Ireland. The primary selection criterion is the recognition of the strengths and needs of the individual child. The recipients also display Patti’s other fine qualities of professionalism, compassion and good nature.

Inspired by a group of parents from the Class of 2012, this scholarship honors several parents we have lost from that class and the courage displayed by their children in the face of hardship and adversity. Tragically, since 2002, the Wright, Cutrona, Armiger, Nolte, Hogan and Fickes families have all said goodbye to a beloved spouse or parent. The Courage Scholarship was first presented at Founders’ Day 2017 in tribute.

This $1,000 scholarship, awarded to a currently enrolled rising sixth, seventh or eighth grader, recognizes a student who has demonstrated courage. Demonstrating courage comes in many forms, including facing suffering with dignity and faith, feeling fear yet choosing to act, following your heart, persevering in the face of adversity and standing up for what is right.

Established in 2016, this scholarship was made possible by the generous support of the Connolly family and inspired by the memorable impact Mrs. Teresa Roach, a retired Independence fourth-grade teacher and developer of the school's Economics & Entrepreneurial Education (E³) curriculum, had on Dr. and Mrs. Kieran Connolly’s eldest daughter. This $500 award, applied to tuition, is given each Founders’ Day to a current fourth-grade girl who demonstrates a particular interest in and affinity for economics and an entrepreneurial spirit.

Mr. Andrew (Andy) Yatzus was the husband of Mrs. Victoria Yatzus, Head of School, and the parent of three Independence alumnae, Katie (2004), Erin (’08), and Haley (’11). Mr. Yatzus was a dedicated friend and supporter of Independence for many years before Mrs. Yatzus became Head. Mr. Yatzus was a Senior Vice-President at WSFS Bank and served on The Independence School Board of Trustees from 1997 to 2003 and again from 2004-06.    

The Andrew N. Yatzus Scholarship, established in his memory by family and former co-workers, is a one-time $2,000 award toward tuition for a rising sixth-, seventh-, or eighth-grade student. Among the criteria to be considered in the award selection, candidates must possess academic potential, the willingness to work hard to achieve success, and demonstrated strength of character, as these were all characteristics embodied by Mr. Andrew Yatzus.

The Scholarship Committee will announce the recipient at The Independence School Founders’ Day assembly in April. 

In 2019, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Fraser and their daughter, Bianca Fraser-Johnson, established and funded a scholarship to honor the memory of their daughter and sister, Mia Shorteno Fraser, aunt to Fraser (Class of 2023) and Vanessa (Class of 2027). A brilliant, hardworking, and compassionate individual, Dr. Fraser received a Bachelor of Arts from Georgetown University, a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, a Master of Science in Applied Psychology, and her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology, despite great adversity. She passed away on the cusp of beginning her career as a psychologist with plans to work with our country’s heroes, our veterans.

The Fraser family chose Independence for its mission of developing students who possess not only an exceptional spirit for learning, but also leadership and citizenship, just as Dr. Fraser had. The criteria for this $1,000 award, open to all rising seventh- and eighth-grade students, include a student’s love of learning, grit, and outstanding citizenship. Qualities of kindness, consideration for others, and generosity should be evident in their character.

One boy and one girl will be selected to receive this scholarship. The Scholarship Committee will announce the recipients at The Independence School Founders’ Day assembly in April.

This scholarship for rising 4th grade students was established in recognition of The Independence School’s strong tradition of graduating students with finely developed oral and writing skills.  What better way to promote the importance of high quality written communication skills than to bring this scholarship opportunity to our young writers?  
This one-time scholarship in the amount of $1,500 applied to tuition for is awarded to one boy and one girl in our present third grade. 

All third-grade students are invited to participate in a scheduled writing session where they write an essay on a selected prompt.  Essays are reviewed and evaluated by the third grade teachers and Head of Lower School in light of the six traits of quality writing taught in their English classes.  In addition to the essay, scholarship winners must demonstrate good citizenship in school.