A Revolutionary Investment

(From L to R) Lindsey Shepardson, David Blanford, Bailey Nelson, Caleb Browning, Jordan Barlow, Chris Reid, Kate McNulty, Kaliff Jones, Courtney Wright, Rachel Hobgood, Krystal Young and Carla Crespo. (Andrew Rivadeneira & Davin Shaw not pictured.)

How is Independence Bank revolutionary? The way we invest our money is revolutionary. We do this by making an investment in the education of our future generations. We believe in giving back to the communities that we live and work in. My father, Charles A. Reid, was determined to get his education but the only way possible was for him to enlist in the navy and use the G.I. Bill. As he found himself in the nuclear fallout after Hydrogen Bomb tests in the Bikini Atoll Islands, he vowed that he would do everything in his power to send his children to college without putting their lives at risk in order to do so. He later decided that he would extend this commitment to high school seniors in the communities that Independence Bank serves and started the Independence Bank Scholarship Program.

Since the Independence Bank Scholarship Program began in 2001, a total of $229,250 has been awarded to many deserving high school students. This year, 96 high school seniors applied for 23 scholarships totalling $32,250 to the college of their choice. They were judged based on their high school grades, ACT scores, essays, financial need, extracurricular activities and personal interviews. Finalists were selected to compete for various scholarships up to $10,000. Finalists were interviewed by members of our Board of Directors as they too see the importance of investing in the education of our community’s youth. Many members of our board also contributed scholarships of their own to deserving students.

It is an honor to carry on the tradition that began with my father many years ago. I am always amazed by the talent and future leaders that I have the opportunity to meet each year during this process.

To find out more about the Independence Bank Scholarship Program and other revolutionary ways we invest our money, visit www.1776bank.com.