SCHOLARSHIPS

Foundation Managed Scholarships 2023-2024 Scholarship

 The Cunningham Family Scholarship.  $2000

The Matthew and Margaret Cunningham Scholarship is given in memory of John (Johnnie) Patrick Cunningham. Mr. Cunningham came from Ireland in 1907 and settled in Lawrence Park in 1918. Johnnie was involved in many civic projects, including the Halloween parade and Christmas Tree Night. He was known as the mayor of Lawrence Park, not by election, but by popular acclaim.  

 

The Daniel Holdnack Memorial Scholarship $500

TIER NY LLC presents the Daniel Holdnack Memorial Scholarship, in honor of Iroquois Jr./Sr. High School alumnus Daniel Holdnack Class of 1982 who passed away in 2009. Dan graduated from Iroquois High School and Gannon University. He was an avid Buffalo Bills and Sabres fan and enjoyed playing hockey. He was general manager of Tier Environmental Services in Niagara Falls, N. Y. 

 

The Dr. Joseph R. Buzanowski Memorial Scholarship - (2) @$250

The Dr. Joseph R. Buzanowski Memorial Scholarship was established to honor one of the greatest leaders in Iroquois history.  Dr. ‘B’ was a forty-year veteran of the Iroquois School District.  He was a beloved member of the faculty, principal, superintendent, and friend and spent his entire professional career working tirelessly for the students of the district.  Iroquois was his second life.  It was his second family. The Dr. Joseph R. Buzanowski Memorial Scholarship is awarded to one female and one male senior.

 

The Iroquois School District Foundation Ina Rae Corey Memorial Scholarship.  $500

Ina Rae Corey was a passionate and tireless supporter of the Iroquois School District and the Wesleyville Community.  She was a graduate and salutatorian of Wesleyville High School.  She was elected to the Iroquois School Board and served for 18 years and was a founding member and Past President of the Iroquois School District Foundation, who sponsors this scholarship in her honor.  Mrs. Corey was involved in her church and the community until her death in 2019.  She was present and enthusiastically involved in everything that she could and the District is better because of her contributions and loving presence.

 

The Dr. G. William Baxter Memorial Scholarship.  $500

The Dr. G. William Baxter Scholarship was established by The Iroquois School District Foundation in recognition of Dr. Baxter’s long-standing support of the Iroquois community and The Iroquois School District Foundation. 

The Dr. G. William Baxter Memorial Scholarship is awarded to one graduating senior who best embody “the spirit” of the Iroquois School District. The winner of this year’s scholarship certainly has made the administration, faculty, and staff very proud during your four years at Iroquois.

The scholarship is based upon scholarship (grades), industry (willingness to work), volunteerism (helping others), and financial need.

The Jean Forsyth Memorial Scholarship.  $300

The Jean Forsyth Memorial Scholarship is given in honor of Ms. Forsyth. Ms. Forsyth graduated from Lawrence Park High School and taught at Lawrence Park High School.  She was a champion golfer who won the Erie City Women’s Golf Championship eleven times and was inducted into the local and state Sports Hall of Fame.

The Cadden Family Scholarship $500

The Cadden Family Scholarship was started in 2021 to positively respond to a year of tragedy and great personal loss through Covid.  Bob Cadden, who was a scoutmaster and Wesleyville Little League coach, passed away in June of 2020.  Connie, who taught at Wesleyville Elementary for 30 years, passed away in April of 2021.   Melanie, a 1979 Graduate of Iroquois, passed away in December of 2020.  The Cadden family remains deeply entrenched in the community and are memorializing their loved ones by supporting Iroquois students through a scholarship fund. 

 

The Ryan M. Johnson Memorial Scholarship $500

The Johnson Family Scholarship in memory of Ryan Johnson was established to celebrate the life of former Iroquois Student Ryan Johnson, who passed away unexpectedly in 2014.    Ryan was involved in wrestling and his warm gentle nature is still missed by everyone who knew him.   This scholarship is designed to honor his spirit and passion for life. 

 

The Class of 1979 Memorial Scholarship.  $500

The Class of 1979 Memorial Scholarship was created by members of the Iroquois Class to honor their classmates who have passed away since graduation.  Members of the Class of ’79 decide on the recipient, based on merit and references, and members of the class contribute each year to sustain the scholarship. 

 

The James Bonniger Memorial Scholarship.  2 @ $250

The James Bonniger Memorial Scholarship is given in memory of Mr. Jim Bonniger.  Mr. Bonniger was a “three-sport” figure.  Starting as the scorebook keeper for the basketball team, he subsequently became the game statistician for the football team, and for more than a decade was the junior varsity baseball coach.

Mr. Bonniger was community oriented as well.  He was a long-time coach in the Wesleyville Little League program at all levels.  As a member and president of the Eastlake Junior Chamber of Commerce, he became involved with the Gannondale home for girls and is still thought very highly of in that community.  Mr. Bonniger was a church lector and a tireless worker for people in need.

 

The Janet Atkin Rupp Memorial Scholarship. $500

The Janet Atkin Rupp Memorial Scholarship will be awarded for the first time this 2022-23 School Year.

Janet Atkin was a woman ahead of her time and an advocate for woman’s rights as evident in her participation in the March for the Equal Rights Amendment in 1978 in Washington, D.C. Janet passed away on November 3, 2021, after a hard-fought battle with pancreatic cancer. Hospital staff routinely called her a "tough lady" during her difficult fight. Janet was born in Lawrence Park and lived there her entire life. She became a mother and married after graduating from Iroquois High School. She began working at the General Electric plant at a young age. Janet's career spanned thirty years and concluded with her being a valued member of the General Electric management team as a Vice President. She began her career working on the factory floor and was always striving to improve herself. She attended classes in the evening while raising her son and working full time, ultimately earning both an undergraduate degree from Gannon University and an MBA from Penn State. Janet was a trailblazer for later generations of working women, and she took great pride in her career accomplishments.

 

The Janie Peterson and Bob Bender Memorial Scholarship    $1000 

 The Janie Peterson and Bob Bender Memorial Scholarship    was established to honor Janie (class of 1970) and Bob (would have been class of 1972). Both were Iroquois Students who died in 1970. Janie was very funny and wicked smart.  She had many friends and was very outgoing. She loved all sports and was a cheerleader at one time for basketball, football and wrestling while in high school.  She lived life to the fullest during her short life and she was looking forward to new experiences after high school and was excited about attending Business College. Janie was truly a beautiful person …inside and out.   She was kind and loving and fiercely loyal to her close friends and family.

This $1000 scholarship will be awarded to a student in loving memory of Janie and Bob.

Dedication to school work, community service and school activities will be a consideration for this scholarship.

 

4002 & You Scholarship

"The mission of 4002 & You is to support the local charities and the kids' clubs, kids' groups, and kids' programs near and dear to 4002 & You Team Members while also bringing awareness and educating those in our local and social media communities."

 

Award: $1000 Scholarship

Sponsored by Bauer Specialty

 

Essay Criteria:

In 500 words or less, please use the guided prompts below to compose your 4002 & You Scholarship Essay.

  • Define the meaning of the word community.

  • Discuss the history of the Iroquois Lawrence Park community.

  • How has its history led to the community that it is today?

  • Why are you proud of the Iroquois Lawrence Park community, and what does the community mean to you?

  • What would you like to see for the community in the future?

  • How can you and your peers help the community be better and work toward a bright future?

 The main criteria for the award will be the essay. Leadership and scholarship may be considered.

Students should contact the Guidance Office for scholarship  information and applications.

The Iroquois School District Foundation distributed several scholarships to graduating seniors at the Commencement Ceremony on June 6, 2024. The scholarships are presented to the students who best embody the spirit of all that is Iroquois based upon scholarship (grades), industry (a willingness to work), volunteerism, and in some cases financial need.

All Iroquois School District Foundation scholarships and named scholarship 2022 recipients are as follows:

Jim Bonniger Memorial Scholarship - Fiona Yelkovich and Xavier Bayhurst

Dr. Joseph Buzanowski Memorial Scholarship - Fiona Yelkovich and Joel Noyes

William A. Baxter Memorial Scholarship - Vanessa Hayes

Cadden Family Memorial Scholarship - Fiona Yelkovich

Jean Forsyth Memorial Scholarship - Fiona Yelkovich

Daniel Holdnak Memorial Scholarship - Mila Gehrlein-Carpenter

Iroquois Class of 1979 Memorial Scholarship - Madison Chew

Ryan Johnson Memorial Scholarship - Sam Kightlinger

The Cunningham Family Memorial Scholarship - Kelly Hart

Ina Rae Corey Memorial Scholarship - Kelly Hart

The D. J. Wegley Memorial Scholarship - Grace Freer

Atkin Rapp - Fiona Yelkovich

4002 & You - Kelly Hart

Peterson Bender - Madison Chew

You can help a graduating senior by designating a donation as a named scholarship as well - see information below.

Guidelines for Establishing a Scholarship:

Creating a named scholarship through the Iroquois School District Foundation is one way you can assist students, leave a legacy, or honor family and friends.

  • Step 1: Determine the type of scholarship fund - either ‘endowed’ or an ‘annual.’

  • Step2 : Establish criteria such as the name of the scholarship, a student’s area of interest, academic achievement, merit, financial need, with help from the ISD Foundation. 

  • Step 3: Administration of scholarship funds are completed by a selection committee that carefully reviews the applications submitted by Iroquois students and selects the most deserving recipient(s) based on the donor-established criteria.

Tax Benefits of Funding a Scholarship:

A donor will receive immediate tax benefits in the year the gift is made. A donor can also provide for a scholarship in their estate plans without affecting their current income or assets. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

How are ISD Foundation scholarships named?
The donor of a scholarship establishes the scholarship name. You can establish a scholarship in your own name or choose to name it for a friend, family member, or a favorite faculty member. 

How is the selection criteria established for the scholarship I am establishing?
The donor aids in establishing the scholarship criteria by expressing the intentions for the award. The ISD Foundation will draft the scholarship application according to your specifications and present it to you for your approval.

How are Iroquois School District Foundation scholarships awarded?
Foundation scholarships for graduating seniors are advertised on the ISD website and applications are collected through the IHS Guidance Office. A selection committee carefully reviews each application and selects the most deserving recipient(s) based on the established criteria.

Will I receive notification when a student is awarded the scholarship?
The donor will be notified annually when the scholarship recipient(s)has been selected. Recipients often write a thank-you note to the donor.

For more information contact: Iroquois School District Foundation, 800 Tyndall Avenue, Erie, PA 16511 or foundation@iroquois.iu5.org.