Gary Bronson Memorial Scholarship Fund Update - Scholarship Applications Now Available!
Update: the Cedar Park Neighbor's Gary Bronson Memorial Scholarship Fund is approaching 90% of our 2017 fundraising goal! Click here to donate and help us reach our goal to match last year's award numbers and amounts!
On to the scholarship applications! Each year, Cedar Park Neighbors is proud to award several scholarships to neighborhood students to help pay for college expenses.
Complete applications packs must be received at scholarships@cedarparkneighbors.org by 5p.m. on June 15, 2017 to be considered. Only students living within Cedar Park are eligible to apply. Not sure if you live within our boundaries? Click here for a map of our boundaries. Awards in the past ranged from $650 to $1,300 so don’t miss your opportunity!
If you are a NEW applicant, download the 2017 application by clicking here.
If you have received a scholarship in the past and are re-applying for the new year, down the 2017 RENEWAL application by clicking here.
Email us at scholarships@cedarparkneighbors.org with any questions!
Update: 2017 Gary Bronson Memorial Scholarship Fundraiser!
Thank you to the more than 50 neighbors who came out to Dock Street on a sunny beautiful afternoon for our 10th Annual Gary Bronson Memorial Scholarship Fundraiser on April 23! We are additionally grateful to Mable Bakali and Andrew Kulasegram-Wilson, two of 2016’s TEN scholarship award recipients, who were able to join us and share the genuine impact these funds and community support have had on them and their studies.
These scholarship funds exemplify the spirit of neighbors helping neighbors! To date, this year’s mean donation is $90, and 77% percent of our donors live in Cedar Park with an additional 10% coming from other West Philadelphia neighborhoods. We have raised approximately 80% of the funds necessary to match last year’s award numbers and amounts. Donate to help us reach our goal! Donations of any amount are appreciated! Sponsor level donations with opportunities for recognition remain available.
The 2017 Gary Bronson Memorial Scholarship application will be posted online later this month to be due mid-June. Please check back with us and help to distribute the application widely to any neighborhood youth who may be eligible.
Finally, please mark your calendar for Friday, July 14th for the Gary Bronson Memorial Scholarship award ceremony in Cedar Park at 49th and Baltimore. The ceremony will take place during the 7:00 p.m. set break for the evening’s Cedar Park Live Jazz Friday concert. In addition to presenting the scholarship awards to recipients, we will also be recognizing our sponsor level donors. Want to add your name to the sponsor list below? Make a donation now.
Sustaining Neighbor Sponsor
Fleming Family Fund
Benefactor Neighbor Sponsor
Fred Wolfe, Jr.
Philadelphia Federal Credit Union
Patron Neighbor Sponsor
Amara Rockar & Mustapha Berkshan
Ana Lisa Yoder & G. Anthony Lapp
Claudia B. Hamilton-Ruffin
Duwayne Terry & Julia Katz Terry
Jacques-Jean Tiziou
Jesse Fuchs-Simon
Lisa Mitchell
Melani Lamond, Urban & Bye, Realtor
Philadelphia Federal Credit Union
Ryan Godfrey
Susan Kay Weiler
Friendly Neighbor Sponsor
Alfred C. Airone & Carolyn J. Kelly
Brad Wayland
Brandon Alcorn
Camden Segal
Darryl Bundrige
David Hincher & Mara Hincher
David Wengert
Debra L. Detweiler & L. George Detweiler
Elizabeth K. Sands
Jeff Lutzner
Joyce A. Brock
Kelly J. Ryan
Lewis Baum
Linford D. Martin & Marcella J. Zimmerman
Louis N. Tannen & Catherine C. Carr
Margaret Dowling
Mark McGuire & Jo-Ann M. Verrier
Maureen Tate & Gerald McHugh
Michael Froehlich
Michael W. Jennings & Alfred A. Giosa
Scott Geryk & Nancy Geryk
Patricia J. Lavelle
Patricia Warner
Sharon Smith & James Smith
Suzanne Banning Anderson & Kelvyn Anderson
CPN's Annual Gary Bronson Scholarship Fundraiser
CPN's Annual Gary Bronson Scholarship Fundraiser Event will be held on Sunday, April 23 from 4-6pm at Dock Street Brewery (701 S. 50th Street). Tickets can be purchased at:
The Gary Bronson Memorial Scholarship Fund supports young adults living in Cedar Park who are committed to pursuing higher education. This scholarship provides them with both mentorship and financial support to help them be successful in their post-secondary endeavors.
Sponsorship and donation opportunities are also available! Those can be made at:
Please contact scholarships@cedarparkneighbors.org with any questions.
CPN's 2016 Annual Gary Bronson Scholarship Fundraiser Event
Click here to purchase tickets or sponsor our fundraiser.
Now Accepting 2016 Scholarships (Due June 15!)
2015 Gary Bronson Memorial College Scholarship Fund Recipients with CPN Scholarship Committee Members
Each year, Cedar Park Neighbors is proud to award several scholarships to neighborhood students to help pay for college expenses.
Complete applications packs must be received at scholarships@cedarparkneighbors.org by June 15, 2016 to be considered. Only students living within Cedar Park are eligible to apply. Not sure if you live within our boundaries? Click here for a map. Awards in the past ranged from $650 to $1,300 so don’t miss your opportunity!
If you are a new applicant, download the 2016 application by clicking here.
If you have received a scholarship in the past and are re-applying for the new year, down the 2016 renewal application by clicking here.
Email us at scholarships@cedarparkneighbors.org with any questions!
Back to School for the Gary Bronson Memorial College Scholarship Recipients!
Six young Cedar Park residents’ return to school will be a little bit easier this fall thanks to the Cedar Park Neighbors’ Gary Bronson Memorial College Scholarship Fund. In addition to scholarships of over $1,000 each for educational expenses, the students will also receive mentoring, care packages, and networking opportunities from the fund throughout school year.
New to the Gary Bronson Memorial College Scholarship Fund are two incoming college freshmen. Abdoulaye Dia is a 2015 graduate of the Charter High School for Architecture and Design (CHAD), and will be attending Denison University. Dante Gibbons, also a 2015 CHAD graduate, will be attending Penn State University to study Geosciences.
Returning scholarship recipients include Ainye Clarke, who is entering her second year studying Psychology at Rosemont College. Andrew Kulasegram-Wilson is in his third year at Drexel University where he studies Engineering. Danielle Little attends Columbia College in Chicago, and is beginning her second year studying Arts Management with a Business and Entrepreneurship Major. Dung Nguyen is in her final year at Temple University’s School of Pharmacy.
These scholarships are possible through the generous support of the donors to the Gary Bronson Memorial College Scholarship Fundraiser. Major sponsors of the April 2015 event were the Fleming Family Fund, Gregg & Rachel Mohrmann, Philadelphia Federal Credit Union, and Fred Wolfe Jr. We thank those sponsors and all who contributed to making the event a huge success.
Cedar Park Neighbors is extremely proud of these active and dynamic students and their accomplishments. Please join us in congratulating these young members of our Cedar Park community, and wishing them the best in their studies.
CPN Live Jazz, Friday July 10th: Gretchen Elise & Friends + College Scholarship Award Presentation
Friday, July 10th, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. 49th and Baltimore
Every year Cedar Park Neighbors brings jazz to the park on Baltimore Avenue between 49th and 50th. Please join us this week for the music of Gretchen Elise and Friends plus a special presentation of this year's College Scholarship Awards at the set break (approx. 7:00 p.m.). These scholarships are awarded to local students each year by the Cedar Park Neighbors' Gary Bronson Memorial College Scholarship Fund.
The free event is outdoor fun for the whole family with an on-site playground. Jazz in the park is one of the truly special social events of the West Philly community. From senior to toddler, the evenings are great moments to share. Bring a blanket for a picnic, or a chair to enjoy some great entertainment and neighborhood interaction!
- July 10th Gretchen Elise and Friends
- July 17th Dahi Divine and Friends
- July 24th Broke and Blue Band
- July 31st Side by Soul
If you would like to make a financial contribution please go to: http://www.
Sponsored by:
Cedar Park Neighbors, Fairmount Park Conservancy, Holly Mack Ward and Co. Real Estate, Philadelphia Federal Credit Union, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, St. Mary's Nursery School, Wayne's Garage, Little Baby’s Ice Cream, Dock Street Brewery, VIX Emporium, UC Review, and the Baltimore Avenue Business Association (BABA).
Now accepting 2015 scholarship applications (due June 15!)
Each year, Cedar Park Neighbors is proud to award several scholarships to neighborhood students to help pay for college expenses.
Complete applications packs must be received at scholarships@cedarparkneighbors.org by June 15, 2015 to be considered. Only students living within Cedar Park are eligible to apply. Not sure if you live within our boundaries? Click here for a map. Awards in the past ranged from $600 to $1000 so don’t miss your opportunity!
If you are a new applicant, download the 2015 application by clicking here.
If you have received a scholarship in the past and are re-applying for the new year, down the 2015 renewal application by clicking here.
Email us at scholarships@cedarparkneighbors.org with any questions!
8th Annual Scholarship Fundraiser
Please join us for the
8th Annual Scholarship Fundraiser in support of the
Gary Bronson Memorial Scholarship Fund
April 12, 2015; 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm St. Francis De Sales Parish School Auditorium 917 S. 47th Street; Philadelphia, PA 19143
Live music with Gretchen Elise and her band; Food and beverages from local businesses. Door prizes included!!
Sponsor levels: Super Neighbor - $2,500 and above Sustaining Neighbor - $1,000 and above Benefactor Neighbor - $500-$1,000 Patron Neighbor - $250-$500 Friendly Neighbor - $100-$250
Tickets: $40.00 each; available on-line www.cedarparkneighbors.org; or at the door. Kids under 12 are free.
The Gary Bronson Memorial Scholarship Fund supports young adults living in Cedar Park who are committed to pursuing higher education; the fund provides them with both mentorship and financial support to help them be successful in their post-secondary endeavors.
Contact: scholarships@cedarparkneighbors.org
CPN college scholarship applications due June 1
Each year, Cedar Park Neighbors awards several scholarships to neighborhood students to help pay for college expenses.
Complete applications packs must be received (or mailed and postmarked) by June 1st, 2014 to be considered. Students living within Cedar Park can apply for a scholarship to help with the increasing costs of higher education, including travel expenses and school supplies. Awards in the past ranged from $600 to $1000 so don’t miss your opportunity!
Cedar Park Neighbors Scholarship Fundraiser
Get your tickets now for Cedar Park Neighbors’ 7th Annual Scholarship Fundraiser! The event will be held on Sunday, April 6th from 4-6 pm at The Cedar Works, located at 4919 Pentridge Street, a beautifully renovated warehouse in the neighborhood. Tickets include live music for all ages with West Philly based singer-songwriter Gretchen Elise, beer by Dock Street Brewing Company, wine, and food from Aksum, Fu Wah, The Gold Standard Café, and Dock Street. We’ll also have a Silent Auction to include handmade crafts, jewelry, museum tickets, gift certificates to local restaurants, and much more! Children will enjoy kids’ music and activities from 4-5 pm.
Tickets are $40 and available online or at the door. Kids under 12 are free. To purchase tickets, complete the form below.
7th Annual CPN Scholarship Fundraiser to be Held on April 6!
Our 2014 Scholarship Fundraiser will be held on Sunday, April 6. For more information on the Fundraiser -- including how to purchase tickets, sponsor the event, or contribute to the Scholarship Program -- please click here.
CPN thanks our first Benefactor Neighbor Level Sponsors:
2013 Scholarship Recipients
Help neighborhood students going to college
Each year, Cedar Park Neighbors raises money to award scholarships to help neighborhood students attend college. Since its inception the scholarship program has awarded over 134 scholarships to more than 60 of our young neighbors. That is truly amazing when you think about how those funds were raised by neighborhood residents, who have chosen to give generously over the years to assure the youth in our community have the opportunity to pursue their aspirations! This year, we've fallen about $400 short of our fundraising goal.
If we don't raise this amount, we will need to deny one more worthy applicant or reduce the total scholarship amount.
Will you help us raise this last $400?
Click here to contribute to the fund. (Please write "scholarship" in the comment box.)
Thanks.
PS. Zachary Spence, a junior at Howard University and one of our current recipients, shared that “as tuition continues to increase, the scholarship is greatly needed.” Zach continues to immerse himself in his collegiate experience, majoring in engineering and participating on the Howard University travelling basketball team. He maintains a 3.5 grade point average and spent the summer interning at the Navy Yard. He got hands on experience as a computer engineer as he helped develop a simulator for the Navy’s submarine ships, composed of two tanks which transfer water between themselves and a reservoir. He constructed a computer program that controlled the simulator and allowed users to conduct preferred functions.
CPN college scholarship applications due June 1
Each year, Cedar Park Neighbors awards several scholarships to neighborhood students to help pay for college expenses.
Complete applications packs must be received (or mailed and postmarked) by June 1st, 2013 to be considered. Students living within Cedar Park can apply for a scholarship to help with the increasing costs of higher education, including travel expenses and school supplies. Awards in the past ranged from $600 to $1000 so don't miss your opportunity!
Scholarship Fundraiser coming up on April 7 at Dock Street
Join us for free beer and pizza, a silent auction, and live music by the local band Big Tusk.
Tickets are $40 and are available at the door or online using the button below.
Questions? Email us at scholarships@cedarparkneighbors.org
2013 Scholarship Applications are Available!
Please help us to spread the word! Applications are due June 1, and questions can be sent to scholarships@cedarparkneighbors.org. 2013 CPN SCholarship Application NEW APPLICANT rev
Letter from CPN scholarship recipient Sara Ghebremariam
This article originally ran in the November 2012 Cedar Park Neighbors newsletter. Want to receive the newsletter delivered to your doorstep (or directly to your email inbox)? Join CPN today at http://www.cedarparkneighbors.org/join-cpn-donate/cpn-membership-form/ Dear Cedar Park Neighbor Community,
I am one of the many neighborhood students who have benefitted from your continuous generosity and commitment to helping give the young adults in our community the chance to get ahead. This sense of generosity is so apparent and wonderful to see at the annual award ceremonies and the Dock Street fundraisers I have attended in the past. My college experience thus far has been everything I hoped for and more. Starting at the University of Pennsylvania in the fall I had no clue what was in store for me, but I am so happy that I threw myself into it completely. After getting a taste of engineering and finding out it was not for me very quickly in freshmen year, I found my place in the arts and sciences school, more specifically in psychology and economics. Even though classes at Penn challenge me they also excite me and for that reason summer has gone from something I wish for during the year to something I nearly dread in May.
While I have grown in the obvious academic ways, I have also taken the time to grow outside the library. Community service has always been a large part of my life and dominated my extracurricular activities. Since starting at Penn I made it a point to make sure that did not change about me. I did this by joining the oldest and the largest community service organization at Penn, the Kite and Key Society. I eventually gained a seat on the executive board of the Kite and Key Society in my sophomore year of college. This was a great opportunity to gain leadership skills, not only with running the Overnight Hosting program but also within the society in contributing that semester’s fundraising project, a Mario Kart Tournament to raise money for a cure for Cystic Fibrosis. Further, starting in the fall of this upcoming year, I will be serving as a house events manager in the building I have called home for the last 4 years, Gregory College House.
I spent much of junior year, taking part in two independent research projects in the field of abnormal psychology with the help of research advisors at the University of Pennsylvania. I focused my thesis on first time substance use experiences and current patterns in use in college students. The second project focused more on how those with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder recall their experiences. Both projects were the toughest undertakings of my undergraduate career with both year-long experiences culminating in written research papers and theses defenses in front of standing faculty at Penn- also known as some of the brightest minds in the field I was studying… it was terrifying to say the least. However, I survived and received departmental honors for my work.
I am now looking to spend this upcoming semester working on developing my background in the second interest, economics and strategy management. After my graduation in December I hope to obtain a job in strategy consulting and it has been the CPN funding over the years that has allowed me to carry out my studies just a bit longer. It is something for which I will always be grateful to the community.
Thank you so much for all your support and assistance throughout the year!
Sara Ghebremariam
Cedar Park Neighbors Scholarship Fund
This post--with pictures!--originally ran in the September 2012 Cedar Park Neighbors newsletter. Didn't receive a newsletter? Consider becoming a member of Cedar Park Neighbors by clicking here. By Laurie Friedman, Scholarship Chair
The CPN Scholarship Committee was proud to present scholarship awards of $1000 this year to each of the recipients named below. We recognize these students for their hard work and success in high school, their service to the community, and their continued commitment to furthering their education at the post-secondary level. We truly appreciate the support of all our neighbors and local businesses who contributed to supporting our youth!
Since 1989, Cedar Park Neighbors (CPN) has raised money and given modest scholarships to support students from the neighborhood in their pursuit of higher education. Unlike many restricted scholarships, Cedar Park’s scholarship offers students funds to pay for any and all school-related expenses, which could be anything from tuition and books, to something as simple as transportation to and from school.
Congratulations to the following Cedar Park Scholars!
Sara Ghebremariam is a graduate of West Catholic High School and will be graduating in December from the University of Pennsylvania where she is majoring in Psychology.
Dung Nguyen graduated from West Catholic High School and is headed into her senior year atTempleUniversity where she majors in Pharmacy.
Antionette Trt graduated from the Philadelphia High School for Girls and is starting her senior year at Hampton University where she majors in Political Science.
Hanh Nguyen graduated from West Catholic High School and will begin her junior year at Temple University in the Fall where she is pursuing a Bachelor’s of Nursing degree.
Zachary Spence graduated from George Washington Carver High School for Engineering & Science and is heading into his junior year at the Howard University School of Engineering.
Briana Lane graduated from West Philadelphia High School and is heading into her sophomore year at Widener University. She is majoring in Psychology.
Dear Cedar Park Neighbors:
First off, I would like to thank you for selecting me as this year’s recipient of the Cedar Park Neighbors Scholarship. As tuition continues to increase, the scholarship is greatly needed. This academic year was successful! I had a number of accomplishments, one becoming a member of the 1867 Howard University traveling basketball team. Not only do I have a passion for the game, but it keeps me focused in all things I do. I have learned in college that time management is crucial. From balancing practices, game days, and my studies I have developed a skill that has proved to be effective. This semester I received all A’s and a C, my best performance thus far. I received a C in my Differential Equations course. It was challenging but with my dedication and the help of my professors and colleagues I received an overall score of a 78. In all, I finished my semester with a 3.5 GPA and made the Dean’s List.
This summer I am back in Philadelphia continuing my internship at the NAVY Yard. My role as an intern gives me hands on experience as a computer engineer and allows me to obtain valuable knowledge outside of the classroom setting. I have been given the task to help develop a simulator for the Navy’s submarine ships. The simulator is composed of two tanks which transfer water between themselves and a reservoir. My responsibility is to construct a computer program that will control the simulator and allow users to conduct preferred functions. I am excited to see my final results at the end of the summer.
Once again I would like thank the Cedar Park Scholarship Fund for selecting me as a recipient of this scholarship!
Best Regards,
Zachary Spence
Check out what’s happening in the CPN Scholarship Corner! by Laura McHugh, CPN Scholarship Committee
This post originally published in the June 2012 edition of the Cedar Park Neighbors Newsletter. This year’s annual scholarship fundraiser on Sunday, March 25 at Dock Street Brewery was once again a rousing success! With nearly 100 people in attendance and thousands of dollars raised, CPN would like to offer a special thanks to Rosemarie and her team atDock Street, as well as all of the businesses and neighbors that continue to support this annual event through ticket sales and/or auction donations year after year. Please check out our full list of supporters!
Supporting CPN Scholarship Committee events, like our annualDock Streetfundraiser above, is critical to raising scholarship funds for students like Hahn Nguyen, a freshman atTempleUniversity, and one of our current CPN scholarship recipients. Below, Hahn reflects on what the CPN scholarship has meant to her this first year:
“The famous Sir Isaac Newton once said, ‘If I have seen farther than others, it is because I was standing on the shoulders of giants.’ This saying perfectly describes how grateful I feel towards the assistance and help I’ve received from Cedar Park Neighbors and their generous scholarship. This year, I began to embark on my college journey. Before I even started, I was very stressed about how to pay for college, seeing as paying for high school was already difficult. I made my choice to go to Temple in part because of its cheaper tuition compared to many other colleges and my decision was finalized when I got accepted into their new Bachelor in Science Nursing program. Nursing, specifically neonatal nursing, has been my passion and dream job. However, not only did I have to stress about paying for tuition and books, I was also required to buy nursing/medical supplies and uniforms for the program. I felt overwhelmed by the prices of the medical supplies, most of them being over a hundred dollars and more. But with the help of my Cedar Park Neighbors scholarship, I was able to pay for my Nursing books and some of the supplies such as the stethoscope, scrubs, and sphygmomanometer. I was always worried that my financial issues would prevent me from living my dream fully, but with this scholarship I have been able to begin my first steps into making my dream become reality.
I have now finished my first year of college and survived the first year of Temple University’s nursing program. Although it has been a very difficult, stressful, and time consuming experience, I have enjoyed every minute of it. Through the first year of the program, I have learned to take patient’s blood pressure and interacted with senior citizens and children at various field work placements in the community. My passion for nursing has been further ignited and I can’t wait to start my clinicals next semester. I would like to once again thank everyone involved in the Cedar Park Neighbors scholarship committee for helping me be able to live these wonderful experiences I’ve had this past year at Temple University.”
Sincerely,
Hahn Nguyen
If you have not already, it is not too late to support scholarships for Hahn and others in 2012-2013! You can make a donation through the CPN website or by sending a check to CPN marked “Scholarship”.
More information about the Scholarship Program can be found at www.cedarparkneighbors.org.
Questions? Please call CPN at 267-531-4147 or email scholarships@cedarparkneighbors.org.
Many thanks to our Scholarship Fundraiser Business Supporters…
Aksum
AnnenbergCenterfor the Performing Arts
Atiya Ola's Spirit First Foods
Atlantic Medical Specialty
Baltimore AvePet Shoppe
BartramGardens
Bed Bath & Beyond
Boost Market
DBA Little Home Repairs
DesiVillage
Dock Street Brewery
East SmithfieldHealthcare
Eastern State Penitentiary
Elena's Showcase Lounge
Firehouse Bicycles
Gold Standard
Green Line Café
Harvard Children's Academy
House of Our Own Books
Lee's Deli
Liz Campion
LongwoodGardens
Morris Arboretum of theUniversityofPennsylvania
NationalConstitutionCenter
New Deal Lumber and Millwork Company
Nigerian African Grocery
PhiladelphiaFederal Credit Union
PhiladelphiaMuseumof Art
PhiladelphiaSuzukiPianoAcademy
Studio 34
Sunray Drugs
Talking Headz
Tom Davis Pharmacy
Tool Library ofPhiladelphia
VientianeCafé
VietnamCafé
Vix Emporium
Wake Up Yoga
Wayne's Garage
West Philadelphia Locksmith Company
WoodlandBuildingSupply
and to these individual donors!!
Diane Bezella
Darryl Bundridge
Dr. Gerard Davis
Kitakiya Dennis
James Donley
Bruce Dorpalen
Agnes Dumas
Johanna Fine
Claudia Hamilton
Emily Hirshorn
Hillary Kane
George Karpyn
Richard Keiser
Peggy and Todd Kovich
Judyann McCarthy
Dr. Alice Moyer
Amy Myers
Representative James Roebuck
Lola Rooney
Beverly Rouse
Jen Smith
Maureen Tate and Gerald McHugh
Senator Anthony Williams
Nancy Wygant
Mary Yee