In seven years, the Edward Taylor Coombs Foundation has distributed more than $450,000 in merit scholarships to visionary leaders of tomorrow who exhibit exceptional promise in academics, sports and community service.
During the seventh annual ETC Foundation scholarship award dinner, the nonprofit organization granted a total of $51,500 scholarships to 17 students. Most of the awards ($18,500 in all) were given to seven class of 2018 graduates from Hatboro-Horsham High School, Edward Coombs’ alma mater. A $15,000 scholarship was also earmarked for a Marist College freshman lacrosse player.
Scholarship recipients were as follows:
Hatboro-Horsham High School
Kaitlin Gehlhaus: $5,000
Kaitlin plans to attend Penn State University and major in broadcast journalism. In her application, Kaitlin shared how, as a little girl, she needed help tying her shoes and Edward helped her. She took his leadership qualities to heart and served as a role model for students at Hatboro-Horsham High School.
Joshua Smith: $3,000
Joshua plans to attend Worcester Polytechnic Institute to study computer science.
Erica Paluszek: $2,500
Erica plans to attend Temple University, where she will pursue a degree in political science. She hopes to attend law school as well.
Rosalie Vitale: $2,500 Commonwealth Foundation Scholarship
Rosalie will attend Drexel University and is pursuing materials engineering.
Kaitlin Schada: $3,000 Edward Taylor Coombs Legacy Award
A long-time supporter of the Edward Taylor Coombs Foundation, Kaitlin will attend Delaware Valley University for animal science.
Jeff Marshall: $1,000 Book Award
Madison Warner: $1,000 Book Award
Girard College
Remiah Hughes: $2,000
Ebony Williams-Parris: $2,000
Randi Youboty: $2,000
Tahji Ellison: $2,000
COMTO
Myles Scott: $2,000
Alaina Davis: $1,000
Jack & Jill Montgomery County, PA
Myles Hugee: $2,000
Derrick Lawson: $2,000
Alexis Smith: $1,000
Victoria Paige Watson: $1,000
Marist College Freshman Lacrosse Scholarship: $15,000
The Links, Montgomery County, PA Chapter: $1,000
ETC Foundation Scholarship Committee Chairwoman Sheilah Shaw Horton said the eight-member committee reviewed all of the applications, essays and transcripts and selected the students who best exemplified Edward’s passion for sports, community service and future leadership aspirations.
“What an impressive group of young people,” Shaw Horton said in acknowledging the scholarship award winners. “We’re honoring the legacy of a young man who gave so much to his community.”
Eric Coombs, Edward’s father and president of the foundation bearing his son’s name, thanked family, friends, supporters and sponsors for helping the Coombs family “take an idea, a concept and make it into an institution.”
