Roycemore School’s Robert Eisner Distinguished Scholar Program awards up to three incoming 9th and 10th-grade students who have demonstrated a commitment to academic excellence, civic engagement, and leadership abilities with a full-tuition Upper School scholarship, renewable for up to four years. 

Eisner Scholars are a diverse group, ranging from young entrepreneurs to dedicated artists. They are dedicated students, empathetic leaders, and invested community members; each scholar exemplifies the core values of Roycemore School.

Elias R. has been at Roycemore since 2020, and was one of three Eisner Scholarship recipients in 2023. At Roycemore, Elias has created independent studies on topics ranging from Milton’s Paradise Lost to developmental psychology, proudly serves as an Upper School Student Ambassador, and represents the Class of 2027 in the Student Government Association. He spoke about his Roycemore experience at last year’s 8th Grade Celebration.

Read an excerpt of his speech below:

“I was online for most of my 6th grade experience of 2020-2021, Zooming in from a coat closet turned office. Despite having the barrier of being new to a school, and not being able to experience it fully, my teachers helped me through the new environment during those online months, making sure I was still heard even though my voice was coming through a small speaker. I joined clubs, made meaningful connections, and became a part of the Roycemore community. The academics are great, and Roycemore provides structure and an environment that encourages learning, no matter if I am in person or online.

During this time, Ms. Milner set me up with lessons with Dr. Berryman, where we undertook a new unit each year, starting with the history of dreams and their interpretations, then the Satanic Panic of the 1980s, and currently John Milton’s Paradise Lost. This personalized learning touches on the most integral part of Roycemore’s academic program: No matter how a student learns or expresses themself, Roycemore is always there to support them.

At Roycemore, I am seen. My curiosity is seen, my personality is seen, and my failures are seen. Yet, when I make a mistake, my teachers are there to help me improve and make sure that I don’t let my failures overshadow my strengths. If I didn’t have the support that I have at Roycemore from my teachers, I wouldn’t be able to try anything, as the fear of failure would have weighed me down.

And speaking of my teachers, they know me. Not just as a learner and as a student, but as a person. The teachers here are why I love Roycemore so much. As I continue my Roycemore journey, I know that the faculty will always encourage me to be myself. Many thanks to my teachers, my peers, my parents, and the Eisner Scholarship committee for giving me the opportunity to keep growing at Roycemore.”

Curious to learn more about the Eisner Scholarship? Visit roycemoreschool.org/eisner to download the 2024-2025 application. Applications are due by December 15, 2023. Contact admissions@roycemoreschool.org to learn more.