In a powerful celebration of leadership, academic achievement, and commitment to serving their communities, the Green Family Foundation and Firstrust Bank awarded $360,000 in scholarships to 18 exceptional high school seniors during a recent ceremony at The Franklin Institute.

The students, chosen for their academic drive and commitment to their communities, are the newest cohort of recipients of the prestigious Samuel A. Green Scholarships.

Now in its 57th year, the Samuel A. Green Scholarship Program is one of the region’s most distinguished awards for graduating high school seniors. Each recipient was awarded a four-year, $20,000 scholarship 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?

In just the past five years, the Samuel A. Green Scholarship Program has awarded more than $1.7 million to college-bound students and more than $2.6 million total in the program’s history. This year, more than 540 students from 188 schools applied for the scholarship program. Finalists were selected based on the strength of their essays, demonstrated leadership, and letters of reference highlighting their leadership, character, and commitment to others.

“This program was started by Firstrust Bank and named in honor of its founder, Samuel A. Green, who believed one of the most powerful ways to strengthen a community is by investing in its young people,” said Richard J. Green, Executive Chairman and Owner of Firstrust Bank and Trustee of the Green Family Foundation. “Every year, these scholars remind us of what’s possible when leadership, resilience, and purpose come together. We are incredibly excited to support this next generation of changemakers as they pursue their education and create meaningful impact in their communities.”

Samuel A. Green, who founded Firstrust Bank in 1934, believed deeply in the power of education, hard work, and giving back to the community. Those values 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 throughout the region who embody those principles.

The evening featured remarks from 2024 scholar Foram Shah, whose thoughtful and inspiring reflections on growth, curiosity, and embracing new challenges captured the spirit of the Samuel A. Green Scholarship Program and drew enthusiastic applause from attendees.

The celebration was headlined by keynote speaker Evan Ehlers, founder and CEO of Sharing Excess, a national nonprofit that rescues surplus food from wholesalers, grocers, and retailers and redistributes it to communities experiencing food insecurity. In an inspiring address that encouraged students to lead with compassion and purpose, Ehlers reflected on the opportunities this next generation has to create meaningful change.

“You are entering a world with enormous challenges but also enormous opportunities to improve the lives of others,” said Ehlers, a 2023 Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. “What gives me hope is knowing there are young people like the SAG Scholars already stepping forward with compassion, courage, and a sense of responsibility to their communities.”

The 2026 Samuel A. Green Scholars are:

Chester County Residents

• Asher Pitofsky, Delaware County Christian School
• Josh Weinstein, Downingtown STEM Academy

Delaware County Residents

• Alice Goncalves Morais, Strath Haven High School
• Kanushi Gupta, Garnet Valley High School

Montgomery County Residents

• Carina Reyes-Oritz, Parkway Center City Middle College
• Gianna Specht, Abington Senior High School
• Yobosa Idahosa, Germantown Academy

Philadelphia Residents

• Charles Gaskins IV, Freire Charter High School
• Cristia Shibu, Northeast High School
• Eleanor Kafer, William Penn Charter School
• Gloria Domefa, G.W. Carver High School of Engineering and Science
• Malana You, Northeast High School
• Mariafernanda Herrera, Parkway Center City Middle College
• Stevana Diaz, Kensington Health Sciences Academy
• Tina Zheng, G.W. Carver High School of Engineering and Science
• Xin Yue Huang, Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School
• Yehezkiel Widjaja, Horace Howard Furness High School

New Castle County Residents

• Angela Zhang, Archmere Academy

In addition to their scholarships, each student received a personalized gift package that 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 how it is dedicated to cultivating and investing in innovative and impactful solutions that foster inclusive and interconnected communities so that individuals and communities flourish and reach their full potential.