In a unique twist, three Kosciusko County high school seniors found out today they are Lilly Endowment Community Scholars, with two of them from Tippecanoe Valley High School.
Fulton County Community Foundation Director of Development Brian Johnson said that in his 11 years at the Foundation, he’s never known two TVHS students to receive the Lilly Scholarship in the same year.
TVHS Principal Chad Cripe concurred, saying, “This year Valley has two Lilly Scholars. This has never happened at Valley.”
The third Lilly Scholar this year is a Warsaw Community High School student.
Valley’s Shayleigh Shriver was named the 2019 Fulton County Community Foundation Lilly Scholar while Sarah Tucker, also a Valley senior, was named one of two Kosciusko County Community Foundation Lilly Scholars. The other 2019 KCCF Lilly Scholar is Madelyn Ray, a WCHS senior.
The scholarships are four-year full-tuition to the Indiana colleges of the recipients’ choice.
The names of the two Valley recipients were announced at a short school assembly in the gymnasium this morning. While Shriver found out Saturday she was a Lilly Scholar, Tucker didn’t know until today’s announcement.
“This is amazing. It took me completely by surprise,” Tucker said.
Her mom, Nicole, said it was all humbling to know Sarah has worked hard to follow her dreams and all that hard work paid off.
In Kosciusko County, the KCCF recommends recipients of the scholarship to nonprofit Independent Colleges of Indiana for final selection. The local process is “blind” in that committee members do not have access to student names when reviewing the applications. Scholarship selection criteria include academic excellence, community service, extracurricular involvement, work experience, references and essay response, according to a KCCF news release.
Shriver said when she learned of the honor, it was “just very exciting. I’m very grateful for the opportunity.”
Her mom, Jamie, said it was “Amazing. I’m just very proud of her and very happy to be in the Valley School Corporation. They’ve done a lot for her. I encourage all students to apsire to this accomplishment.
For the Warsaw recipient, the announcement was made in a conference room with Ray’s parents, teachers and administrators present.
Madelyn Ray is the daughter of Thomas and Kathleen Ray, Warsaw. At the time of her application, she was ranked fourth in her graduating class.
Her school activities have included swim, golf and tennis teams; Students for Life, Future Christian Athletes, Tiger Student Athletic Board and Mathletes.
Her community services have included Warsaw Education Foundation, for her church, with a community clothing closet and with a local soup kitchen.
Ray has worked at Stonehenge Golf Club and as a restaurant server.
Her references described her as kind, compassionate and as a servant leader.
She plans to attend Butler University to study biology/pre-medicine.
Sarah Tucker is the daughter of Chan and Nicole Tucker, Mentone. At the time of her application, she was ranked fourth in her graduating class.
Her school activities included Future Farmers of America, track and field, student council, Farm to Fork project and National Honor Society.
Her community activities include Mentone United 4-H Group, Beaver Dam Youth Group and Kosciusko County Youth Leadership Academy.
She accumulated over 280 volunteer hours as a camp counselor, on mission trips, fundraising for various causes and with 4-H. She also has worked as a farm hand, waitress and as a data processor for a dentist’s office.
Tucker’s references describe her as an exceptional leader and young lady of the highest character and integrity.
She plans to attend Purdue University to study agricultural business and economics.
Shayleigh Shriver is the daughter of Jeff and Jamie Shriver and plans to also attend Purdue University to study elementary education
She was elected TVHS student body president. She’s participated in Future Farmers of America and student council all four years of high school.
She is a founding member of Tippecanoe Valley Girls of Grace, the Tippecanoe Valley Farm to Fork program and the Champions Together Unified Sports Partnership with Special Olympics.
Shriver was the 2017 and 2018 varsity volleyball team captain and set many records and received numerous awards. A news release from the Fulton County Community Foundation says she’s also done an “outstanding amount of volunteer work.”
She was selected for the scholarship from a field of 24 applicants by the FCCF Scholarship Committee.
The scholarships are a result of a statewide Lilly Endowment initiative to help Hoosier students reach higher levels of education, according to the KCCF news release. Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by three members of the Lilly family through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. The endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion.
