Support YHS

YHS Foundation

Upholding Not For Ourselves Alone
The purpose of the YHS Foundation is to provide and maintain perpetual funding for York House students.
The York House School Foundation was established in 1976 with $5,000 and, at the time of its 40th anniversary in 2016, surpassed $10 million in endowment funds—now the endowment funds are valued at just over $15 million. Our goal is to reach $25 million by our 50th anniversary.

The YHS Foundation is the cornerstone of the school's motto, Not For Ourselves Alone. Every year, the YHS Foundation awards the only five-year, financial need-based scholarship in British Columbia to a talented Grade 8 student and provides confidential financial aid to York House School families.

As a result, exceptional students have graduated from York House who never could have attended our school without financial support. For families with short-term financial difficulties, the YHS Foundation provides assistance that enables students to continue at the school and participate in extracurricular activities. As one of the school's most important financial resources, the YHS Foundation grows through your gifts to planned giving and the annual giving fund.

What the YHS Foundation Does

The purpose of the YHS Foundation is to provide and maintain perpetual funding for the benefit of York House students. We provide and maintain funding for scholarships, financial aid, school awards, education program enhancement, and special projects.

With the support of the YHS Foundation, York House is able to enroll capable students who might not otherwise be able to attend or continue at the school. The Foundation is currently supporting 21 students through scholarships and financial aid. The talents and abilities of these students enrich our school community.

The YHS Foundation is incorporated under the Societies Act (BC) and is a registered charitable organization under the Income Tax Act (Canada). The Foundation is overseen by a Board of Trustees.

Continued growth of our endowment funds is essential for enhancing the school's education programs and providing financial assistance to some of our students. Contributions to the YHS Foundation can be made through the online donations page.

Your assistance is greatly appreciated and will help Yorkies not just today, but for many generations to come.

Trustees of the YHS Foundation

Margot Keate West '93, Chair
Stevie Bryson Mitchell '61, Immediate Past Chair
Beau Howes, Treasurer
Lindsay Forbes '96, Governance Chair
Kim Abbott, Investment Committee Chair
Lily Wong Wallace '82, Trustee
Catharine McGavin Jacobsen '82, Trustee
Gina Macdonald '90, Trustee
Michelle Ostrow '89, YHS Board Chair, Trustee

Advisors:
Deryn Lavell, Head of School
Mike Hudson, YHS Board Representative
Joanne Lee-Young '90, YHS Board Chair's Alternate
The standards of the criteria of any of our scholarships must be maintained throughout the scholarship years. For additional information, please contact the Director of Enrollment Management at 604.730.2419 or [email protected].

Scholarships & Bursaries

In its 90-year history, York House School has achieved an outstanding record of educating students and developing exceptional citizens. In a continuing effort to ensure that York House provides a wide range of talented individuals with opportunities for the best education, the York House School Foundation offers a number of full and partial scholarships as well as bursaries and confidential financial aid.

The amount of investment to establish a named endowment fund depends upon its purpose. Endowed awards which help to support general financial aid may be created at the $10,000 level while bursaries require a commitment of $50,000 and scholarships, a minimum of $300,000. More information regarding the requirements to establish an endowment fund may be obtained by contacting Nik Williams-Walshe, Director of Advancement, at [email protected]. The York House School Foundation provides stewardship for the endowment and monitors the growth of its existing funds and looks forward to the creation of new endowment funds that would help to enhance York House School.

List of 25 items.

  • Audrey Fund

    Established in 2007, the fund provides up to 100% tuition assistance for students entering York House School in the junior grades, and is available to those students to graduation. The purpose of this Fund is to allow students to attend York House School who financially would otherwise not be able to attend. The recipient of this tuition assistance must continue to meet York House School academic standards and to demonstrate suitability to York House School.
  • Chhachhi Family Bursary for Short-Term Financial Aid

    Provides confidential financial aid for a student in the senior grades.
  • Janet Ward (Cliff) Campbell Scholarship Fund

    In 2017, the Janet Ward (Cliff) Campbell Scholarship Fund was established in her memory by friends and family. As a global citizen, Janet believed in striving for more and empowering youth towards greatness. This scholarship fund will be awarded to a new student entering Grade 8 whose family demonstrates financial need. The scholarship provides up to 80% tuition assistance, renewable annually to graduation. The student must demonstrate:
    • academic ability with an overall average of 80%;
    • be engaged and contribute to the life of her current school and to the broader community;
    • embrace the school’s values and guiding principle, “Not for Ourselves Alone”;
    • be a well-rounded student who has a diversity of experiences and interests;
    • and lives a well-rounded life by setting and pursuing personal and community-service goals through participation in such programs as the Duke of Edinburgh Program, Outdoor Education, Girl Guides, Scouts Canada, etc.
  • June Brown Cliff Scholarship & June Brown Cliff Bursary

    The scholarship fund was established in 1988 and 2014 respectively, in memory of June (Brown) Cliff ’46, who was an active and loyal member in many areas of the school community. The scholarship is awarded to a student entering Grade 8 to graduation, based upon financial need, who demonstrates a high level of excellence in all of her endeavours. The bursary fund offers financial aid to students at any grade level who are making a valuable contribution to the school and may require assistance in meeting the costs of tuition.
  • Joan Ritchie Creighton Bursary

    This fund is used to assist a student who required financial assistance to participate in one or more extra-curricular activity to enrich communication, leadership skills, and the ability to serve the community.
  • Joan Ritchie Creighton Memorial Fund

    Awarded to a student who demonstrates a passion in literature and the Humanities, as well as a spirit of leadership and volunteerism in the community.
  • Dr. Madeline Huang Chung Fund for Excellence in Music

    Established in 2007 by Dr. Wallace Chung in honour of his wife Madeline, the fund will provide excellence in music through special guest artists, sectional master classes or tutorials, purchase of instruments, music or equipment, or any other opportunity that would be beneficial to students and/or teachers in the YHS music department.
  • Diamond Abramowich Family Award for Community Service

    Is awarded to a student who best exemplifies the qualities of local community service and philanthropy.
  • Diamond Foundation Scholarship

    This five-year scholarship has been established to provide tuition fees to a student entering Grade 8 through to graduation, based on merit, community leadership endeavours, and financial need.
  • Family Fund

    Endowment fund that allows the donor to build a fund during their lifetime to which others may contribute with the goal of establishing an award, bursary, or scholarship in perpetuity.
  • Joanne and Derek Francis Scholarship Fund

    The Joanne and Derek Francis Scholarship Fund was established for the benefit of a student entering Grade 8 who financially would otherwise not be able to attend York House School. The awarded student must meet the criteria of financial need and displays merits in academics, co-curricular programs, and citizenship.
  • Founders Scholarship

    This is awarded to a student entering Grade 8 to graduation who has demonstrated excellence in academic, co-curriculars, and citizenship. Preference may be given to a daughter of an alumna.
  • Global Initiatives Chair for Teaching Excellence

    Established in 2007 by Stephen Jarislowsky in honour of Gail Merilees Jarislowsky ’56, the fund will be used to endow a Chair at York House to provide an individual or team of teachers with the resources and time to focus their attention on a project, professional development opportunity or activity, which advances our mission to ‘develop a sense of responsibility to the global community’.
  • Khimji Family Teachers’ Sabbatical Fund

    This fund was created in 2003 to raise funds to support teacher sabbaticals for York House faculty.
  • Dr. Daniel Koo Bursary for Science and Mathematics

    Established in 2000 to award a tuition credit to each of the top Grade 11 students in mathematics, chemistry, biology, and physics. As the fund grows, it will become a partial scholarship for a girl entering Grade 10 who displays excellence in math and science.
  • Maria Iuon Partial Scholarship Fund

    This fund has been established for the benefit of a student who is currently attending York House School but is unable to continue due to financial circumstances. The student must already be attending York House School and entering Grade 8, 9, or 10 in the Senior School. In her time as a student at York House, the applicant must have exemplified, in attitude and action, the values of the community. In addition to strong academic ability, the applicant must have displayed strong school spirit, an obvious desire to attend York House School, evidence of good character and a sense of responsibility to the global community through community service.
  • ‘Not for Ourselves Alone’ Special Purpose Bursary

    This fund was established in 1996 to assist students or staff members in areas of personal growth or for short‐term crisis counseling. Assistance is in the form of workshops, personalized counselling, or tutoring.
  • Parents' Association Tiger Scholarship Fund

    Established in 2010 by a group of mothers of students from classes 2012, 2020, and 2023, this fund is to allow a student to attend York House School who financially would not otherwise be able to attend. The applicant must meet the admissions standards of York House School, demonstrate a strong academic ability and high standards of citizenship.
  • Rasul Bursary for Enrichment

    Initiated in 1998, this bursary provides teacher education and enrichment. The emphasis is on the junior grades with an immediate focus on mathematics, science, and technology. As the fund grows, it will provide an even broader range of opportunities at York House.
  • Caroline Anne Sexsmith Trausch Award

    Awarded to a Grade 11 student who demonstrates leadership, determination, courage and Yorkie spirit, taking into consideration the student’s adherence to the school’s core values. This award will be presented on Founders' Day when the student enters grade 12.
  • Ursula Bell Bursary

    This fund was established in 1999 by Miss Bell on her retirement after 26 years as Principal of the Junior School. The fund provides financial aid to a Junior School student who requires short‐term assistance in meeting the cost of tuition. Assistance is based on merit as well as need.
  • Chung/Munk Family Partial Scholarship

    Provides partial tuition for a new student entering Grade 8, renewable annually to graduation.
  • York House School Alumnae Association Scholarship

    This endowment, established originally as a confidential bursary, has grown into a full scholarship. It is available to an alum’s relative who is a current or incoming Grade 8-10 student. The scholarship is renewable to Grade 12 and is based on the following: the display of spirit, desire to attend YHS, demonstration of respect for and appreciation of individual differences, evidence of good character, understanding of the responsibility to the global community, and demonstration of academic ability.
  • York House School Foundation Scholarship

    This fund is used to award scholarships based on academic merit, cultural and/or co-curricular and community endeavours, and financial need to incoming Grade 8 students and to provide financial aid to current York House families. It is the Foundation’s largest fund.
  • York House School Foundation Trustee Scholarship

    This fund was established to allow a student to attend YHS who financially would otherwise not be able to attend. In addition, the student must demonstrate excellence in academics, co-curriculars, and citizenship.