Two Warsaw Community High School students have been named Kosciusko County 2012 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars.
Nathaniel Stone and Rebeca Garcia will receive four-year, full-tuition scholarships and yearly book stipends to the Indiana colleges of their choice.
In Kosciusko County, applicants are reviewed by a Kosciusko County Community Foundation committee in a blind process, where names are removed from applications. Academic performance and community service are weighted heaviest in the selection criteria followed by school activities and work experience, references, goal statements and essay response.
The Community Foundation forwarded their recommendations to Independent Colleges of Indiana for review and ICI selected Stone and Garcia as recipients.
Stone is in the top 2 percent of the senior class. He has taken challenging courses and achieved high SAT and ACT test scores.
During his high school career, Stone has contributed more than 300 hours to charity, including the coordination of a cancer fundraiser that raised more than $24,000.
He has demonstrated leadership on the football field, swim team and National Honor Society. In addition to his outstanding academics and community involvement, he also ran a lawn and snow removal service.
Stone was described by his references as authentic, talented and ambitious. He plans to attend Notre Dame to study medicine.
Garcia is in the top 1 percent of the senior class. She has contributed nearly 200 hours of community service during her high school career.
She has demonstrated a high level of involvement in school including student council, volleyball, tutoring, and Mathletes. Garcia has regularly worked as a babysitter for numerous families in the community.
She plans to attend Purdue University and study education in order to become a special needs teacher. Garcia’s references described her as selfless, compassionate, and extraordinary.
ICI is a non-profit corporation that represents 31 regionally accredited degree granting, non-profit, private colleges and universities in the state. The scholarships are the result of a statewide Lilly Endowment initiative to help Hoosier students reach higher levels of education.
Since 1968, Kosciusko County Community Foundation Inc. has brought caring people and charitable endeavors together for the good of the community. The Community Foundation is a public charity, and gifts made to the Foundation are tax-deductible.
For more information about the Community Foundation, visit www.kcfoundation.org, call 574-267-1901 or visit the Foundation office at 102 E. Market St., Warsaw.
