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Teen Mom

“On September 16th of my senior year
at ETHS I became a teen mom.”

Teacher

Uncertain

“I didn’t have the support of a
dad growing up.”

Unstoppable

Late Bloomer

“It was amazing that someone wanted to
help me – a mother in my forties,
trying to get back to college.”

Leader

Challenged

“I struggled a lot with hearing loss.
That kind of put me in the
back of the class.”

Champion

The Warren “Billy” Cherry Scholarship Fund cordially invites you to join us in celebrating 30 years of providing scholarships to ETHS graduates

Click to donate

Our Mission

The mission of the Warren W. “Billy” Cherry Scholarship, named in memory of a much loved and respected Evanston educator, is to perpetuate his acceptance of all people, his commitment to the highest standards of educational excellence and his energetic dedication to enriching the children and institutions of Evanston. The Cherry Scholarship was established in 1993, three years after Warren Cherry’s untimely death.

“That was a moment for me. I couldn’t believe that my story mattered.”

Celebrating 30 Years

In 2024, the Warren “Billy” Cherry Scholarship Fund awarded a total of $130,000 to successful applicants. Since its founding in 1992, the Cherry Scholarship Fund has awarded over $1,350,000 to graduates of Evanston Township High School pursuing associates, bachelors and graduate degrees in education or in a field that involves working with youth.

In 2025, individual tuition grants are $6,000 for full-time students, and $3,000 for part-time students. Other Finalists will receive textbook grants of $2,000 (full-time) and $1,000 (part-time).

View our 30th Anniversary Video:

Upcoming Events:

32nd Annual Warren “Billy” Cherry Scholarship Golf Outing
June 23 @ 11:30 am - 8:00 pm at Wilmette Golf Cub

Newsletter:

Newsletter Archives

Watch the Documentary

If you have 27 minutes, please view Susan Hope Engel’s The Cherry Story video. It illuminates the life of a special man and the impact he has had on one community and the lives of thousands of students.

About Warren “Billy” Cherry

Warren was a charismatic educator and community leader. He lived the Golden Rule and worked relentlessly to create equity and balance in services and access. He was widely known and respected. His impact was legendary.

Beloved by all, including his family (a wife and two children), his life was cut dramatically short by cancer when he died in 1990. A small group of friends, colleagues, educators and fans (yes, fans) established the Warren “Billy” Cherry Scholarship Fund in 1993. Today, the fund has made financing a college education a little easier for over 164 Evanston Township High School graduates.

Learn More