After an April 2014 school violence incident at Franklin Regional High School in which 21 students and one adult were injured, donations poured in from the community. Those donations were initially collected by S&T Bank. A committee of community members was selected to allocate the donations to cover medical and travel expenses for families of students injured in the incident and to fund crisis counseling and other mental health needs for students and faculty in the district. The remaining funds were utilized to create a permanent scholarship fund at the Community Foundation of Westmoreland County. Applicants must be a high school senior graduating from Franklin Regional High School, have a GPA of 2.5 or higher, demonstrate financial need and submit an essay describing how community service, including their own volunteer work, contributes to a stronger community.

“The We Are FR Scholarship Fund is a testament to the resilience and generosity of the people of Westmoreland County. Thanks to this generosity, the community was able to come together and meet the immediate medical needs of the affected students and endow a substantial scholarship fund that will provide college funds for Franklin Regional graduates in perpetuity.”

- Phil Koch, Executive Director of the Community Foundation of Westmoreland County

The We Are FR Scholarship Fund will grow in perpetuity as a result of investment income and continued donations from the community.