Children’s Scholarship Fund Philadelphia awards millions of dollars to Philly students

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Christmas came early for thousands of families across the Philadelphia region.

The Children’s Scholarship Fund Philadelphia announced the winners of their scholarship lottery Wednesday at their annual holiday party.

The event was held at Independence Blue Cross headquarters in Philadelphia.

Families were invited to attend the party as a celebration for their applications but were surprised to learn that they were really invited to find that they were picked in the lottery drawing.

For families who couldn’t attend, volunteers called more than a thousand recipients by phone from the event and gave them the good news.

In all, thousands of families will be awarded some $4 million dollars in scholarships.

Each student will receive between $1200- $3200 in scholarship funds.

The need-based partial scholarships can be used at more than 150 private and parochial schools across the Greater Philadelphia region. Scholarship support was previously limited to four years. But thanks to the Breaking Barriers Campaign, all CSFP students are receiving scholarships through 8th grade.

Zecharia Artemus attended the event with her daughter, Zora Battle, and her son, Zaire Denson.

Zora attends first grade and Zaire is in the seventh grade at Russell Byers Charter school.

Artemus says she entered the lottery because she wanted to expand her children’s education beyond their current charter school experience.

‘It’s a good school, but I would love for them to have more opportunities than the opportunities they already have,” said Artemus.

Keisha Jordan is the president and CEO of Children’s Scholarship Fund Philadelphia.

She says 99% of the students who receive scholarships graduate high school on time and 66% of their students attend college.

“Children’s Scholarship Fund Philadelphia is committed to ensuring every child can achieve the education of their dreams, and we view ourselves as supporting families by empowering them to be able to make decisions for the future. We’re proud to provide financial assistance to Philadelphia students and families so they can receive a quality, safe education,” said Jordan, president and CEO, Children’s Scholarship Fund Philadelphia.

For parents like Artemus, it’s a start at a future she says she wasn’t offered.

“I feel like for my children, that they get the opportunity to have certain opportunities that I may not have, they are going to be able to excel in life,” said Artemus.

If you would like to apply for the 2024-2025 scholarship, applications are still being accepted through March 1. Any applicants not selected in the December lottery will automatically be entered into a final lottery in early March.

More information about CSFP can be found online.