January 05, 2025
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Sean Fader Memorial Scholarship Fund to present several scholarships to graduating high school seniors

Fader was killed last year in a car crash

By Eric Schelkopf
Sean Fader, a senior at Oswego High School, died on Sept. 13 after the car he was driving hit a tree in Oswego Township and caught fire. During Oswego High School’s homecoming parade on Oct. 15, signs like “You will be missed Sean” and “Forever in our Hearts” were on display.

Sean Fader, a senior at Oswego High School, died on Sept. 13 after the car he was driving hit a tree in Oswego Township and caught fire. During Oswego High School’s homecoming parade on Oct. 15, signs like “You will be missed Sean” and “Forever in our Hearts” were on display. (Eric Schelkopf)

Several scholarships will be presented to graduating Oswego High School and Oswego East High School students this year in remembrance of an Oswego High School senior killed last year in a car crash.

Oswego High School senior Sean Fader died on Sept. 13 after the car he was driving hit a tree in unincorporated Oswego Township and caught fire. He was 17.

In his memory, his family created the Sean Fader Memorial Scholarship Fund.

“In 2025 because of your generous support, the Sean Fader Memorial Scholarship will assist many high school seniors with financial awards as these young adults continue their educational journeys,” states a post on the Sean Fader Memorial Scholarship Fund Facebook page.

Tuition scholarships will be considered for students who have been accepted to any accredited college, university or vocational/technical school. The family plans to award several $2,500 scholarships this year through the fund.

Scholarships will be announced on or before April 30. To donate to the fund, go to seanfader.org.

During Oswego High School’s homecoming parade on Sept. 15, fellow students honored Fader.

Signs like “You will be missed Sean” and “Forever in our Hearts” were on display. Fader was a member of the school’s boys volleyball team.

Kimberly Reichard, who is on the high school’s girls volleyball team, also helps manage Oswego High School’s boys volleyball team.

“When he came to practice, he was always energetic,” Reichard said. “He never didn’t give his all on the court.”

His biography on the memorial scholarship website, seanfader.org, talks about his love for everything Oswego.

“He spent days fishing and kayaking in local ponds and cheered on the Oswego High School football team on Friday nights,” it states. “He ran through the spray of fire department water hoses at downtown festivals and spent hours choosing books at the public library. He ran in the Prairiefest 5K and Hobbler Gobbler 10K races while his family and neighbors cheered for him. Sean was raised by Oswego. While we’ll never know Sean’s accomplishments as an adult, Sean would have always called Oswego his hometown.”