The Northern Bank & Trust Charitable Foundation, Inc. (the Foundation) is pleased to announce the 2026 James E. McGarry, Jr. Scholarship.

The scholarship honors Mr. McGarry, a former Woburn resident, for his 50 years of service to Northern Bank. It also pays tribute to his lifelong affinity for the fire and police departments in his community. Over the decades, Mr. McGarry served with the Woburn Auxiliary Fire Department, founded the Independent Fire Association of Woburn, and was active with the Massachusetts Antique Fire Apparatus Association. He was one of the founders of the Annual Lynnfield Fire Muster.

Mr. McGarry also treasured his close friendships with many of the city’s police officers and fire fighters throughout the years. He admired the men and women who serve our community each and every day. This scholarship is the Foundation’s way of thanking our deserving public safety partners in his memory.

The $5,000 scholarship will be awarded to a graduating high school senior with a parent or legal guardian who is an active firefighter or police officer employed in Middlesex County, which includes the following cities and towns: Acton, Arlington, Ashby, Ashland, Ayer, Bedford, Belmont, Billerica, Boxborough, Burlington, Cambridge, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Concord, Dracut, Dunstable, Everett, Framingham, Groton, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hudson, Lexington, Lincoln, Littleton, Lowell, Malden, Marlborough, Maynard, Medford, Melrose, Natick, Newton, North Reading, Pepperell, Reading, Sherborn, Shirley, Somerville, Stoneham, Stow, Sudbury, Tewksbury, Townsend, Tyngsboro, Wakefield, Waltham, Watertown, Wayland, Westford, Weston, Wilmington, Winchester, and Woburn.

Eligible students must have been accepted for admission to an accredited college or university. The award will be based on a combination of academic achievement, community involvement, and an essay.

We are requesting your assistance in spreading the word about our scholarship. The deadline to submit an application is Friday, April 24, 2026.

The application is available on our Northern Bank website.

If you have any questions, feel free to send me an email at McGarryScholarship@NBTC.com

James E. McGarry, Jr. Scholarship Application - Northern Bank Charitable Foundation