# James P. Vrable Scholarship for Service to Others

> Two $2,000 scholarships for Greensburg Salem High School (Greensburg, Pennsylvania) seniors graduating in spring 2027 who have outstanding records of community service. Application deadline: March 19, 2027.

The 2027 awards are the seventh annual James P. Vrable Scholarship for Service to Others, named in memory of James P. Vrable (Greensburg Salem High School class of 1970), who volunteered for and led many community organizations. It is a community service scholarship, not an academic one: winners are chosen for a genuine history of unpaid volunteering and charitable work.

Key facts:

- Awards: two winners receive $2,000 each, paid directly to the student as a bank note for tuition, school supplies, or other living expenses.
- Eligibility: Open to Greensburg Salem High School seniors graduating in the spring of 2027 who will attend a college, university, trade school, or vocational school the following fall.
- Deadline: March 19, 2027.
- What to submit:
  - A one-page resume of unpaid volunteer and community-service work, focused on time spent volunteering or organizing service efforts rather than donating to them.
  - A 400–600 word essay (about 500 words) on the applicant’s history of serving others, their philosophy of altruism, and how they plan to keep serving others in the future.
  - A one-page letter of recommendation from a Greensburg Salem High School employee with first-hand knowledge of the applicant as a volunteer. To avoid conflicts of interest, it must not be written by Mr. Lenzi or Ms. Harper.
- How to apply: Combine the resume, essay, and recommendation letter into one multi-page PDF and upload it with the online application form. The form is at https://vrablescholarship.com/#application-scrollpoint.
- Selection: winners are decided by Scott Vrable, Mary Jo Vrable, and Valerie Vrable Schrag, with input from the Greensburg Salem Scholarship Committee.
- Funding: entirely private family support (Scott Vrable 50%, Mary Jo Vrable 25%, Valerie Vrable Schrag 25%). Public donations are not accepted. The scholarship is brought to you by The Flamecrest Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 39-3341536).
- Questions: Jeremy Lenzi or Cheryl Harper at Greensburg Salem High School, or email Scott Vrable at scott@flamecrest.org.

Previous recipients:

- 2026: Lauren Galvin and Ty Schlesman ($2,000 each)
- 2025: Mason McBreen and Bailie Merichko ($2,000 each)
- 2024: Ella Henry and Callie Shirey ($2,000 each)
- 2023: Elizabeth Houston and Kayla Wright ($2,000 each)
- 2022: Connor Herrington and Lilly Kosoglow ($2,000 each)
- 2021: Faith Borbonus and Joseph Gongaware ($1,000 each)

## Resources

- [Scholarship website](https://vrablescholarship.com/): Eligibility, requirements, previous recipients, and the application form.
- [2027 application guidelines (PDF)](https://vrablescholarship.com/pdfs/jpv-scholarship-guidelines-2027.pdf): A printable one-pager of the application guidelines.
- [Example winning essay (PDF)](https://vrablescholarship.com/pdfs/elizabeth-houston-essay.pdf): An excellent example essay from 2023 winner Elizabeth Houston.
- [2027 flyer (PDF)](https://vrablescholarship.com/pdfs/jpv-scholarship-flyer-2027.pdf): A one-page flyer advertisement with a QR code for this website.

## Optional

- [The Flamecrest Foundation](https://flamecrest.org): The 501(c)(3) nonprofit that brings you the scholarship.
- [Credits](https://vrablescholarship.com/humans.txt): The people and technologies behind this website.