In the mid 1980’s, as a relatively new superintendent of schools in the Upper Darby School District who remembered all too well his days of growing up poor in Philadelphia, Joseph Batory decided to make “a bit of positive difference” each year for a worthy graduate of Upper Darby High School. And so, he initiated his own personally funded scholarship award.

The roots of this scholarship funding lie with Batory being the grandson of immigrants from Poland.  The Joseph P. Batory Scholarship memorializes their legacy.  Both of his grandfathers “worked long and hard hours” in the coal mines and eventually suffered lung disease. These Batory immigrant grandparents sacrificed and gave greatly of themselves so future generations of their families would succeed.

Joe has always left the selection of his scholarship recipient in the hands of the Upper Darby High school staff,  urging only that there be academic promise and financial need as the criteria for his scholarship award.

And so, at the Upper Darby High School Class of 2023 Awards Night (June 1, 2023),  Joseph P. Batory Scholarship Assistance was awarded for the 35^th consecutive year.

The 2023 recipient of the Joseph P. Batory Scholarship is Gul Ali, a young woman who has demonstrated remarkable achievement at Upper Darby High and clearly has great promise.

    Having arrived in the USA only six years ago from Pakistan, Gul ranks in the top 5% academically among the 2023 Upper Darby High graduating class. Personable and caring, Gul is a member of several honor societies.  She will be a first-generation college student and is hoping to become a radiologist technician.

The ethnic backgrounds of previous  Joseph P. Batory Scholarship recipients have been remarkably diverse:  Here are just some of these Batory awardee names: Kurbaj: Ong; Arsenlis; Ko; Shah; Mozdzanowska; Phan; Khawaja; Ferdaus; Nguyen; Lai; Phung; Hussain and Ansari. 

“I continue to be amazed at the products of Upper Darby High School.” Summarized Batory, the legendary superintendent of schools in Upper Darby from 1984 to 1999. “While high schools which educate students from affluent and basically homogenized communities regularly get public acclaim, Upper Darby is truly underrated despite its consistent track record of  making a positive difference for all who come to them. 

“The brilliant student, the newcomer, the achiever who has overcome adversity, the average student, the slow learner, and those with special needs all exist in large numbers at Upper Darby High.  Indeed, the diversity of Upper Darby High, academically, socio-economically, racially, and ethnically, is staggering. A majority-minority school, more than 70 different languages are spoken in Upper Darby homes. And the school system’s legacy of success stories for many thousands of pupils from all sorts of backgrounds is exemplary.”

In a world with too much cynicism and nihilism these days, take heart.  There are indeed good young people among us, many of them at Upper Darby High School, talented dreamers who have the potential and a desire to make a difference for the better for others in the future.

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 Joseph P. Batory, the legendary superintendent of schools of the Upper Darby School District from 1984 to 1999, was commended by the President of the United States and the United States House of Representatives after he retired.  He is also the recipient of numerous national and local leadership awards including the American Association of School Administrators’ prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.  

The  Joseph P. Batory Scholarship has been awarded each year to 41 different Upper Darby High School grads over the past three decades.