"With the circumstances surrounding COVID-19, we made the tough decision to cancel our reception in March," said Lauren Patton, Charitable Foundation Manager. "We also had to re-evaluate how we would conduct the interviews that are generally done face-to-face. However, this program is such an important part of what we do. It originated as a dream of my late grandfather. We wanted to continue to find a way to facilitate the program and recognize those students who were selected. They are already giving up so much of the "traditional" graduation celebrations that we wanted to make sure they knew how much we supported them and were proud of their accomplishments."
Typically, students apply online by a given deadline and then finalists are selected. Those students participate in in-person interviews with 16-20 Independence Bank employees and directors depending on what market they are from. Finalists and their families then attend a reception held at Independence Bank in Owensboro to find out what awards they have received.
This year, however, phone and FaceTime interviews were conducted instead, still allowing for reviewers to meet and interact with the students, even if it was virtually.
After students were selected as the recipients of particular scholarships, team members had the privilege of being able to call and personally congratulate those receiving scholarships in one-on-one conversations.
"It is always such a challenge to select the students who receive funds from our program because each applicant stands out for one reason or another. As you read through the applications they poured their hearts and souls into, and you hear their story firsthand during the interviews they are all deserving," said Patton. "And the reality of the situation is, for some these scholarships are what allows them to pursue their dream of an education. It is a humbling experience. And this year was even more rewarding because our employees and directors had the chance to personally interact with the students and see their excitement in a more relaxed setting."
The Independence Bank Scholarship Program began in 2001 as a dream of the late Charles A. Reid, founding partner and father of current CEO, Chris Reid. Before his death, Charles requested that the scholarship program be built to provide an opportunity for deserving high school students in need to have the opportunity to receive a college education.
The very first scholarship given was in the amount of $10,000. Since then, over $1 million has been awarded to high school seniors to help make their dreams of a college education come true. Applicants are judged based on a submitted essay, high school grades, ACT scores, financial need, extracurricular activities, community involvement and personal interviews.
"My father joined the Navy to get the GI bill to pay for his college education and at 17-years-old he was sent to Korea during the Korean War," said Chris Reid, Independence Bank CEO and Chairman. "It was his dream to be able to provide students like himself who wanted to make the world a better place with the opportunity to get a college education, no matter their circumstances and without having to go to the lengths that he did. That's why our program allows students to 'tell their story' about why this scholarship is important to them and how it could benefit them. By looking at the student as a whole, we are able to award scholarships to those who may typically not have been awarded ones based solely on ACT, GPA and class rank."
The Independence Bank Scholarship program is comprised of over 50 scholarships that applicants are eligible to receive based on specified criteria; many honoring the founding partners of Independence Bank and their families.
Another unique aspect of the program is the funding of the community board scholarships. While a number of the scholarships are funded through the Independence Bank Foundation, those awarded by the Community Board of Directors in each market the Bank serves are fully funded by the members of the board.
"Our Community Board of Directors play such an integral part in what we do and who we are as a Bank, it only makes sense that they be involved in the scholarship program as well," said Jacob Reid, President. "They are actively involved in reviewing applicants from their markets and facilitating the interviews with students to learn more about them and their circumstances. But even more than that, they provide the funds for the scholarships awarded by their boards themselves, from their own pockets. We are truly grateful to have board members who are not only actively involved in our business, but who whole heartedly believe in our mission and who we are."
The scholarship program is just one piece of how Independence Bank remains unyielding in keeping community at the forefront of everything they do, a mission that was part of the foundation of the Bank. Since the beginning, they have connected with the community by volunteering their most valuable assets; their people and their time.
Today, the Bank also give back financially in a big way, investing $1.4 million into the communities it serves in 2019 alone through scholarships, school sponsorships, build-a-bed project, park restoration and feeding and meeting the basic needs of those less fortunate.
"It is incredible to look back each year and see what we are able to accomplish together; our employees, our leadership team and our Board of Directors," said Chris Reid. "And it is all because of the passion and dedication of those individuals who wake every day and enjoy coming to work to be part of something bigger. Those who go above and beyond what is expected to help make a difference for others. And all of our initiatives start out just as the scholarship program did, as the dream of one person. My father would be honored to see what we have been able to accomplish in his name."
For the 2020 year, scholarships were awarded to the following students:
Charles A Reid Scholarship - $15,000
The Charles A. Reid Scholarship is the original scholarship that started the Independence Bank program in 2001. It is given in honor of Charles A Reid, former Independence Bank Founder, CEO and President. His wish was to develop a scholarship program so that students could continue their pursuit of a higher education, something he placed the utmost importance on. A finalist is chosen from each market that Independence Bank serves and those finalists each receive $1,000, a $500 Maurice Reisz Scholarship and a $500 Ernie and Martine Davis Scholarship. One overall winner is selected based on an interview process and receives $15,000.
Winner:
AJ Avery, Webster County High School
Finalists:
Autumn Bailey, Franklin County High School
Madison Baker, Henderson County High School
Nadia Barkovska, Portland Christian High School
Katie Caruthers, McCracken County High School
Trey Englehardt, McLean County High School
Braedon McCrae Price, South Warren High School
Dulce Cortes-Sanches, Mayfield High School
Landon Dale Harris, Madisonville North Hopkins High School
Jillian Kruse, Hancock County High School
Kevin Payne, Owensboro High School
Mason Thompson, Daviess County High School
Fatemah Yarali, Murray High School
Marjorie Reid Scholarship
Marjorie Reid is the wife of the late Charles A. Reid, and was one of the founding partners of Independence Bank. Mrs. Reid awards these scholarships to an employee or a child or grandchild of an Independence Bank employee or director so that the pursuit of higher education is extended to the Independence Bank family.
Drew Hartz, Owensboro High School, Independence Bank employee, Owensboro - $10,000
Grant Oller, Daviess County High School, son of Nick Oller, Corporate Lending, Owensboro- $10,000
Alex Shultz, Murray High School, son of Heidi Shultz, Calloway County President, Murray- $2,000
Allison Story, Owensboro Catholic High School, daughter of Susanne Story, Community Enrichment Officer, Owensboro - $2,000
Chris and Janet Reid Scholarship
What started as a Christmas gift from the employees of Independence Bank to honor the work that Chris and Janet Reid have done turned into eight total scholarships being awarded to students from their home markets. Due to such an inspiring gesture, Chris and Janet decided to personally contribute as well. Chris currently serves as the CEO and Chairman of the Board for Independence Bank and was President of the Bank for over 25 years, following in the footsteps of his late father, Charles A. Reid. Janet worked for the Bank for over 30 years and retired as the COO. The couple was so honored by what the employees had done in their name that they expanded the funding and chose to award the funds to eight different students in the markets they attended school.
Elysia Bartley, Daviess County High School - $5,000
Cecelia Clemens, Owensboro Catholic High School - $10,000
Katherine Logan, Owensboro Catholic High School - $5,000
Luke Miller, McLean County High School - $5,000
Lily Moore, Owensboro Catholic High School - $5,000
Logan Patterson, McLean County High School - $5,000
Allie Phelps, Daviess County High School - $5,000
Clayton Rhoads, Owensboro High School - $5,000
Agriculture Scholarship - $5,000
Hallie Ellis, Webster County High School
Revolutionary Scholarship - $2,000
Madison Baker, Henderson County High School
Nicholas Belcher, Owensboro High School
Katie Caruthers, McCracken County High School
Community Board Scholarships
The Community Board Scholarships are funded entirely by Independence Bank's local community boards in each market. Applicants are reviewed by a committee of local employees in each market.
Calloway County Community Board Scholarship
Abby Boike, Calloway County High School - $1,000
Echo Falwell, Murray High School - $1,000
Isaac Smith, Calloway County High School - $1,000
Daviess County Community Board Scholarship
Bethany Mayfield, Owensboro Catholic High School - $3,000
Kevin Payne, Owensboro High School - $3,000
Alayna Petri, Daviess County High School - $2,000
Mason Thompson, Daviess County High School - $2,000
Franklin County Community Board Scholarship
Lauren Walters, Franklin County High School - $1,000
Graves County Community Board Scholarship
Audrey Fralix, Graves Count High School - $1,000
Colin Price, Mayfield High School - $1,000
Dulce Cortes Sanches, Mayfield High School - $1,000
Hancock County Community Board Scholarship
Jillian Kruse, Hancock County High School - $1,000
Henderson County Community Board Scholarship
Gracie Hauke, Owensboro Catholic High School - $2,000
Hopkins County Community Board Scholarship
Kreyton Cunningham, Madisonville North Hopkins High School - $2,200
Jefferson County Community Board Scholarship
Nadia Barkovska, Portland Christian High School - $1,250
Nathaniel Caudill, Trinity High School - $1,250
Makia Doa Nguyen, Sacred Heart Academy - $1,250
Mary Elizabeth Warren, Sacred Heart Academy - $1,250
McCracken County Community Board Scholarship
Katie Caruthers, McCracken County High School - $750
Madeline Kerr, Saint Mary High School - $750
Abigail Kuntz, McCracken County High School - $750
Noah Watson, Alma Mater Academy Home School - $750
McLean County Community Board Scholarship
Isaac Humphrey, McLean County High School - $1,200
Warren County Community Board Scholarship
Alexis Nicole Daniel, Greenwood High School - $500
Caroline Faith Easley, South Warren High School - $500
John William Howard, Warren East High School - $500
Hallie Anna Lindsey, Bowling Green High School - $500
Hsaw Resh, Warren Central High School - $500
Webster County Community Board Scholarship
Hallie Ellis, Webster County High School - $500
Natalie Austin, Webster County High School - $500
Brandon De Garmo, Webster County High School - $500
Jaci Hardison, Webster County High School - $500
Chairman's Scholarship - $5,000
The recipient of the Chairman's scholarship is selected from the 13 finalists who interviewed for the Charles A. Reid Scholarship.
Fatemah Yarali, Murray High School - $5,000
Liberty Square Trade School Scholarship
Damian Nole, Henderson County High School - $1,000
Seth Melton, Henderson County High School - $1,000
Revolutionary Square Trade School Scholarship
Clayton Story, Graves County High School -$1,000
Logan Taylor, Mayfield High School - $1,000
Hannah Winfrey, Graves County High School - $1,000
Maurice Reisz Memorial Scholarship - $10,000
Maurice E. Reisz was a co-founder of Independence Bank and served as a Chairman of the Independence Bank board. He was also a local pharmacist in Daviess County. The Maurice E. Reisz Memorial Scholarship was intended for a student pursuing a pharmacy degree. Reisz' daughter, Gail Reisz Branch, provides this scholarship in honor of her father and his passion.
Alison Kayle Baxley, McLean County High School
Guy Reisz Memorial Scholarship - $10,000
Guy Reisz served as an Independence Bank board of director and this scholarship was intended for a student attending Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro. Guy's sister, Gail Reisz Branch, provides this scholarship to honor her brother's love for Kentucky Wesleyan College.
Cole N Richards, Daviess County High School
Derek Hart Memorial Scholarship - $1,000
This scholarship is funded by Danny and Melva Hart of Hickory, KY in memory of their son. The scholarship is awarded to a Graves County student with hopes of returning to the family farm.
Jake Whitford, Graves County High School
Danny Flood Memorial Scholarship
Garrett Seay, Mayfield High School - $500
Kyler Henson, Mayfield High School - $500
Raychel Mathis, Graves County High School - $750
Jake Whitford, Graves County High School - $750
Danny Peyton Memorial Scholarship - $2,000
This scholarship is funded by Independence Bank's Farm to Fork Dinner in Madisonville and awarded to an FFA student pursuing a degree in agriculture.
Elissa Forbes, Madisonville North Hopkins High School
Lanham Family Business Scholarship- $3,000
This scholarship is funded by John and Wanda Lanham, Tony and Sandy Lanham, and Kenny and Debbie Lanham. The Lanham Family have been blessed to be involved in various businesses for over 35 years, so the scholarship is intended for a student pursuing a business major.
Trey Englehardt, McLean County High School
Ernie and Martine Davis - $3,000
Ernie Davis has been a member of our Board of Directors for 20 years. He is co-owner of Ernie Davis & Sons and serves as the Bank's building chairman. Ernie wanted to be a part of the Independence Bank Scholarship Program because "Ernie Davis and Sons," a company which was founded by his parents, wanted to give back to the community that has supported them over the years. The scholarship is in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Davis.
Holly Payne, Daviess County High School
