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William Bonenberger's Affiliation With The Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades

Hilltown Student Receives HBA Scholarship
For Senior Year at The Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades

For almost as long as he can remember, Josh Willwert dreamed of being a carpenter. As a child, he was mesmerized by workers completing residential renovation projects near his home in Hilltown. A relative recommended The Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades as an ideal education source for Willwert after graduating from high school.

One visit to the 220-acre campus in Media and he was sure that the Williamson was the school for him. Willwert applied and tested well, but was ranked at 17. There were only 16 openings in carpentry that year (2005) and he was asked if he would consider masonry. "I would rather wait a year for carpentry," he told school officials. Fortune smiled on the eager young man, however, and a carpentry applicant dropped out. Willwert took his place and became a good student, ranking in the top third of his class.

"Josh is noted at Williamson for his carpentry skills, character and work ethic," says John J. Schlesinger, vice president for Institutional Advancement. "He went to Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, for two years in a row to help Katrina victims. In fact, last year he gave up his Christmas break and worked on six homes."

"Josh is an example of what The Williamson Free School is all about," adds Bill Bonenberger, vice president of the board of trustees and a member of Bucks & Montgomery Counties Home Builders Association. Bonenberger is also a Williamson graduate. "Williamson is unique in the fact that all students are granted scholarships that include tuition, room and board and textbooks. No one can pay to attend and grants for our outstanding free education are based on financial need and moral character. Many very successful builders, including the late Mickey Shrank, trace their roots to this fine private boy's trade school.

"When Isaiah Vansant Williamson, who grew up in Falsington, founded the school in 1888, he stipulated in a deed of trust that young men from Philadelphia and Bucks Counties be given top priority," continues Bonenberger. "I am very proud of the school and felt that the HBA Charitable Foundation would agree. Josh is from Bucks County and is so well respected that he makes an exceptional scholarship candidate."

Bonenberger, Schlesinger and Willwert made a presentation to the HBA Charitable Foundation and within three weeks they were informed that a $25,000 scholarship would be awarded to the future carpenter. The funds pay for his entire senior year. Willwert glowed with gratitude as he toured the school with HBA members on the day of the presentation. His polite demeanor and zeal for the school impressed the HBA as he delighted in showcasing projects and pointing out the many Frank Furness buildings on campus. "This is one of the most exciting things that has happened to me," he says. "I am thrilled to be a Williamson student and hope to become a residential carpenter, completing custom homes," he reveals with broad smile.

The Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades is one of the last of its kind in the nation, a private, post secondary, residential institution of higher education that charges no tuition, room or board. It offers specialized technology degree programs with emphasis on carpentry, masonry, horticulture, landscaping and turf management, machine tool, paint and coatings, and power plant. There are two diploma programs in carpentry and masonry, as well. The school has a national reputation for producing sought-after craftsmen.