Prides Scholar

More Than Just a Homework Assignment

When Abby and Harry were tasked with developing and presenting a project that would positively impact the school community, they reflected on their personal accomplishments as a result of their time here. Inspired by the opportunities they have been afforded, the students identified a goal of making Landmark more accessible to students who face financial barriers.

“I don’t think anyone should be held back because of their financial situation,” Abby said. “We wanted to help kids who couldn’t afford to come here.”

"It’s such a privilege and great thing to be able to be at Landmark, and we are going to give that [opportunity] to somebody else," Harry said.

Prides Scholar Award

The Prides Scholar program provides a financial aid award to an incoming ninth-grade Landmark High School student as a supplement to any other financial aid that they may receive from the school. It is given to a student who has demonstrated financial need as well as a history of involvement in their current school community. As a Prides Scholar, the student is expected to be an engaged member of the student body, taking advantage of the many resources and opportunities that the school offers inside and outside of the classroom. In addition, Prides Scholars have the option to opt into peer-to-peer mentoring with current Landmark students.

The Prides Scholar award provides a commitment of $25,000 in financial aid per year for all four years at Landmark High School.

Making It Happen

Abby and Harry presented their Prides Scholar concept to some high school administrators, including Head of School Josh Clark, who connected them with an anonymous donor with a history of supporting the school’s financial aid program.

The donor was impressed by the students’ tenacity and passion, pledging $25,000 to launch the program. From there, Abby and Harry were asked to raise an additional $25,000. If they were successful, the donor would match the remaining $50,000 to fully fund the first Prides Scholar, for a total of $100,000.

In partnership with Landmark’s Advancement Office, and with great enthusiasm and the financial backing of many inspired Landmark School faculty and staff, Abby and Harry reached their goal of raising $25,000 to officially kick off the program earlier this year!

To designate the first Prides Scholar recipient, Abby and Harry worked with our Admission team to select a recipient for the 2024–2025 school year. That student is now attending Landmark as a ninth-grade residential student and is thriving in our school community.

Looking Ahead: The Next Prides Scholar

The work doesn’t stop here! With the first $100,000 in Prides Scholar funding successfully secured, Abby, Harry, and the Landmark Administration seek to raise the next $100,000 to enable a second Prides Scholar to join the Landmark School community in the upcoming academic year.

The Prides Scholar program represents Landmark School’s core values in action: Empowering students to creatively drive a concept from a simple spark through the complexities of execution; building character by leading with empathy and a problem-solving mindset; and exploring the unknown with confidence and an openness to learn from setbacks and successes.

Congratulations to Abby and Harry for their creativity, determination, and success in launching the Prides Scholar Program, which will impact future generations of Landmark students.

Support the Prides Scholar Award.

Give