In a powerful show of support for the next generation of changemakers, the Green Family Foundation and Firstrust Bank recently awarded $360,000 in scholarships to 18 exceptional high school seniors during a ceremony at the Firstrust Bank Club at the Philadelphia Eagles stadium. The students, chosen for their vision and commitment to their communities, are the newest recipients of the long-standing Samuel A. Green Scholarship Program.
Now in its 56th year, the Samuel A. Green Scholarship Program is one of the region’s most prestigious awards for graduating high school seniors. Each recipient was awarded a $20,000 scholarship — to be disbursed over four years — after submitting a personal essay responding to a question that reflects the foundation’s core values: How will you use your college education to make a substantial impact in your community?
More than 500 students from 171 schools applied for the scholarship this year. Finalists were selected based on the strength of their essays and a letter of reference highlighting their leadership and character.
“Seeing how this scholarship program has helped more than 1,000 young leaders take their next steps towards higher education is incredibly rewarding,” said Richard J. Green, Executive Chairman and Owner of Firstrust Bank and Trustee of the Green Family Foundation. “In just the past four years alone, the program has awarded more than $1.3 million to college-bound students and more than $2.3 million total in the program’s history. I know my grandfather, Samuel A. Green, would be honored to see his legacy live on in the aspirations and achievements of these students.”
Samuel A. Green, who founded Firstrust Bank in 1934, believed in the importance of receiving a college education and using it to give back to the community. His core values — education, hard work, and community — have guided both the bank for more than 90 years and the foundation since its inception in 2005. The Samuel A. Green Scholarship Program honors young people in the region who reflect these principles.
The celebration was headlined by keynote speaker Joyce Abbott, a beloved and distinguished educator in the School District of Philadelphia, author of Teaching the Ms. Abbott Way: Lessons in Learning, Leadership & Life, and the real-life inspiration behind the hit ABC sitcom Abbott Elementary. In a moving speech, Abbott reminded students of the power they hold.
“As you step into this next chapter, know that you carry our hopes with you,” she said. “Your brilliance will light up lecture halls, labs, and libraries. But more than that, your heart will light up communities.”
The 2025 Samuel A. Green Scholars are:
Chester County
- Alexander Angelov, Unionville High School
- Connor Zhou, Downingtown STEM Academy
Delaware County
- Ashwin Mhadeshwar, Garnet Valley High School
Montgomery County
- Aidan Gor, Germantown Academy
- Ilaida Tusha, Abington Senior High School
- Kendall Musgrove, Upper Dublin High School
- Leea Smith, Plymouth Whitemarsh High School
- Misimi Owolabi, Germantown Academy
- Sharon Lee, Lower Moreland High School
Philadelphia
- Daniella Liang, Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School
- Doha Gassem, Academy at Palumbo
- Ethan Ilondior, Father Judge High School
- Fernando Nido, Saint Joseph’s Preparatory School
- Gelila Getachew, Episcopal Academy
- Nii Tigah, Northeast High School
- Ryan Altschuler, Central High School
- Sophia Washington, Science Leadership Academy — Center City
Northampton County
- Brian Yang, Moravian Academy
In addition to their scholarships, each student was presented a “swag bag,” which included a hat from the college or university they will be attending and a poster version of their winning essay.
Learn more about the Green Family Foundation and its dedication to cultivating and investing in innovative and impactful solutions that foster inclusive and interconnected communities.
