Meet Elias R. ‘27, one of three 2023 recipients of the Eisner Scholarship!

Each year, the Robert Eisner Distinguished Scholarship Program awards a full-tuition scholarship to Roycemore 9th or 10th-grade students who demonstrate academic excellence, civic engagement, and leadership abilities. The scholarship is renewable for up to four years based on a student’s commitment to their education and community while maintaining a 3.0 grade point average. To qualify, a student must score at the 90th percentile or better on the total math and/or total verbal sections of a nationally normed, standardized achievement test and have a superior academic record.

Elias came to Roycemore in 2020 as a 6th grader and says he felt comfortable entering high school by the time he reached 9th grade and was eligible to apply for the Eisner Scholarship. One of the perks of Roycemore’s intentionally small community is that Elias already had relationships with many of the Upper School teachers from being involved in activities like Yearbook in Middle School, which made for an easier transition.

“Teachers know me. Teachers know what I can do, and they know how to support me, both academically and outside of the classroom,” says Elias. “I don’t think I would have gotten that at a larger school.”

Being an Eisner Scholarship recipient “means a lot” to Elias: “It’s a nice validation of all of the work that I’ve done both academically and socially. I’ve worked a lot on my social presence and being able to step out of my shell and learn about myself,” said Elias. “I feel like the Eisner [Scholarship] really reflects that.”

Each year, Eisner applications are reviewed by an independent Eisner program committee, and finalists are invited to participate in an interview. Elias offered the following advice to this year’s potential Eisner finalists: “Be very well-versed in the pillars of community that the committee is looking for…and, it’s very cliché, but just be yourself! They’re not going to want someone perfect at academics. They're going to want someone well-rounded and somebody who is important to the community and who adds something that’s not just your grades.”

Elias highlighted the tight-knit, intimate community as his favorite aspect of attending Roycemore, and as a Pre-K through 12th-grade school, Roycemore gives students the unique opportunity to foster this community cross-divisionally. One example of this — and one of Elias’ favorite Roycemore traditions — is our Griffin Buddies program, where students meet throughout the year in mixed-grade groups to complete projects and activities together.

“I really like the Griffin Buddies program,” said Elias. “Being able to connect with everybody in the school and intermingle is really special.”

Click here to learn more about the Eisner Scholarship and apply today. Area students in 8th or 9th grade are eligible to apply for the 2025-2026 academic year. The application deadline is Monday, December 2, 2024, and winners will be announced in February 2025.