Logo

Honesdale Area Ministerium Inaugural Faith Vocation Scholarships

Honesdale, PA— The Honesdale Area Ministerium, a fund of the Wayne County Community Foundation, is pleased to announce the recipients of its inaugural Faith Vocation Scholarship Essay Contest, a new initiative made possible through support from the Stegner Family Foundation, managed by the Honesdale National Bank.

In 2024, the Ministerium began receiving an annual distribution from the Stegner Family Foundation, a charitable trust established by the Stegner family to benefit Wayne County residents. The trust supports multiple charitable causes throughout the community.

This year marked the first Faith Vocation Scholarship Essay Contest, which was open to graduating seniors affiliated with congregations represented in the Honesdale Area Ministerium. Students were invited to respond to the prompt: “In about 500 words, what does it mean to live a life of faith in one’s vocation?”

Five essays were submitted and reviewed by members of the Ministerium using a rubric that included both objective and subjective criteria. To ensure fairness, all essays were evaluated anonymously, and the ministers did not know the students' identities during the review process. Additionally, some ministers recused themselves from the final review discussions when appropriate to avoid any potential influence on the outcome.

Scholarship awards were presented during the Honesdale Baccalaureate Service by Ministerium President, Pastor John Banks.

The 2025 scholarship recipients are:

  • First Place ($1,500): Seth Banks, a graduate of Banks Homeschool in Western Wayne. This fall, he will attend Bob Jones University to study education and pursue a career in social studies education.

  • Second Place ($1,000): Garret Quigley, a graduate of Honesdale High School. He will attend Marywood University this fall to study science as he prepares for a career as a physician assistant.

“The Ministerium is grateful for the opportunity to encourage young people as they seek to serve God and their neighbors through their future vocations,” said Pastor Banks. “We are thankful to the Stegner Family Foundation for making these scholarships possible and look forward to continuing this opportunity for students in the years ahead.”

The Honesdale Area Ministerium consists of local faith leaders across multiple faith traditions working together to serve the spiritual and practical needs of the greater Honesdale community. The funds and scholarship application are managed by the Wayne County Community Foundation.  Through initiatives such as the Faith Vocation Scholarship, the Ministerium seeks to encourage the next generation to pursue lives of faith, service, and meaningful work. For more information visit https://www.waynefoundation.org/funds/HonesdaleAreaMinisterium

If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact The Wayne County Community Foundation at info@waynefoundation.org