The Gretchen Wolf Swartz Scholarship Fund has awarded another $150,000 in scholarship dollars.
The York Catholic girls’ and Dover boys’ programs were recognized as the Gretchen Wolf Swartz Sportsmanship Team Award winners at the conclusion of this year’s YAIAA basketball season. As a result, senior players from each program became eligible to apply for scholarships.
York Catholic scholarship winners are Katie Bullen and Mariah Shue, while Dover’s scholarship winners are Nathan Cooper, Evan Semple and Brayden Speelman.
Members of the Gretchen Wolf Swartz Scholarship Fund Board reviewed scholarship applications and interviewed the individuals before determining scholarship winners and award amounts.
The awards are presented in memory of Gretchen Wolf Swartz, who was a York County basketball official from 1981 to 1995. Following her untimely death from leukemia in 1997, her fellow York County officials created the memorial team awards and scholarship fund to promote and honor the sportsmanship she displayed throughout her playing and officiating careers.
At the conclusion of each season, York area basketball officials vote to honor a YAIAA boys’ and girls’ program for sportsmanship after observing the season-long conduct of players, fans, faculty, students, managers, coaches, superintendents, athletic directors and cheerleaders from junior high to varsity. Each winning school receives a traveling trophy in recognition of its accomplishments. This year’s winning schools will also receive a banner to hang in their gymnasium.
York Catholic’s winners learned about their awards Tuesday morning. Dover’s’ winners were announced Wednesday evening. The Fund has now awarded $1.35 million dollars in scholarships since awarding its first scholarships in 2001.