Tag Archives: scholarships

Scholarship program provides $145,250 in support to graduating high school seniors

Through the 2024 Community Scholarship Program at the LaGrange County Community Foundation program, a total of $145,250 in scholarships will be provided to area students. Jennifer McBride, Community Foundation Scholarship Manager, presented the awards in May to students at school ceremonies for Lakeland, Prairie Heights and Westview schools.

The Community Foundation manages more than 50 individual scholarship funds created by individuals, families and businesses to benefit a specific school or field of study. The scholarship funds support a variety of career paths such as education, agriculture, health, science, nursing, and more.   

“Each year we look forward to awarding our Community Scholarships to high school seniors. These scholarships recognize the accomplishments the students have achieved in the last four years,” said Executive Director Octavia Yoder.

“We are grateful to the individuals, families and businesses who created these scholarship funds and have worked alongside the Community Foundation. We aspire to welcome new donors and fund more students as the program continues to grow.  We are extremely appreciative of the community volunteers who take time to help read and evaluate scholarships.  The process is quite an undertaking and is truly a community partnership of donors, volunteers, schools, and Community Foundation staff.  It’s rewarding to help support the educational goals of students in our community,” Yoder added.

Lakeland Jr. Sr. High School scholarship recipients:

  • Allread-Rife Family Scholarship – Abigaile McNamara.
  • Brian Evans Memorial Scholarship – Johanna Guzman.
  • Bruce Brown Memorial Scholarship – Xai Leu.
  • Bulldog Spirit Scholarship – Aiden Tuttle.
  • Chase Scott Memorial Football Scholarship – Jayden Marshall.
  • George O. Witwer Memorial Scholarship – Xai Leu.
  • HOPE Nursing Scholarship – Abigale McNamara.
  • HOPE Nursing Scholarship – Cassidi Parham.
  • J.O. Mory Company Scholarship – Adriana Sturgill.
  • Jean Seagly Crouse Memorial Scholarship – Clara Rasler.
  • Joseph Willard Memorial Scholarship – Adriana Sturgill.
  • Judy-Gage Keenan Scholarship – Cassidi Parham.
  • Lakeland Scholarship – Taylor Jerdon.
  • Lambright Leadership Award – Taylor Jerdon.
  • Lambright Leadership Award – Xai Leu.
  • Mary McGawn Teaching Scholarship – Clara Rasler.
  • Mattea Holton Memorial Scholarship – Cassidi Parham.
  • Melvin and Marjorie Bricker Memorial Scholarship – Taylor Jerdon.
  • Olivia Bay Lemings Memorial Scholarship – Takya Wallace.
  • Paul and Marian Krebs Scholarship – Kylie Fry.
  • Ray and Ruth Culp Memorial Scholarship – Taylor Jerdon.
  • Terry Schmidt Memorial Basketball Scholarship – Nathan Keil.
  • Virgil and Florence Hardin Memorial Scholarship – Abigale McNamara.
  • Waddell Scholarship – Xai Leu.

Prairie Heights High School scholarship recipients:

  • Allread-Rife Family Scholarship – Emma Crites.
  • Allread-Rife Family Scholarship – Kaylyn Allshouse.
  • Beverly Todd Memorial Scholarship – Emma Crites.
  • Craig D. and Ronda S. Neff Memorial Scholarship – Ashley Young.
  • Ellsworth Fanning Memorial Scholarship – Ethan Wolheter.
  • Kevin Lewis Purdue Agriculture Memorial Scholarship – Ethan Wolheter.
  • LaGrange County Farm Bureau Coop Scholarship – Ethan Wolheter.
  • Ned Stump Memorial Scholarship – Ethan Wolheter.
  • Perkins Family Scholarship – Ethan Wolheter.
  • Prairie Heights Band Scholarship – Alyssa Jones.
  • Prairie Heights Scholarship – Emma Crites.
  • Prairie Heights Scholarship – Breonna Glasgo.
  • Prairie Heights Scholarship – Ethan Wolheter.
  • Prairie Heights Scholarship – Olivia Zook.

Westview Jr. Sr. High School scholarship recipients:

  • Farmwald Scholarship – Jace Lang.
  • Holly Petersen Memorial Scholarship – Jace Lang.
  • Ignite Your Future Scholarship – Benton Hershberger.
  • James F. Kalb Memorial Scholarship – Jace Lang.
  • Keith and Arline Davis Memorial Scholarship – Jace Lang.
  • Kerry Wilt-Spradlin Memorial Scholarship – Wade Springer.
  • Lambright Leadership Scholarship – Christien Noward.
  • Lambright Leadership Scholarship – Jace Lang.
  • LIFE Scholarship – Jacob Peruski.
  • Lyle Smith Scholarship – Jacob Peruski.
  • Melvin and Marjorie Bricker Memorial Scholarship – Wade Springer.
  • Morgan Hunter Memorial Scholarship – Kaitlin Nuzum.
  • Mory Family Scholarship – Jacob Peruski.
  • Rheinheimer Scholarship – Hope Bortner.
  • Rheinheimer Scholarship – Jace Lang.
  • Schlemmer Scholarship – Jennifer Osorio–Luna.

Congratulations and best of luck to the class of 2024, from the LaGrange County Community Foundation!

2023-2024 Youth Philanthropy Recap

LIFE is a youth philanthropy program of the LaGrange County Community Foundation. LIFE members gain experiences in community service and charitable giving. The students also provide oversight to youth grant funds at the Community Foundation.

During the 2023 – 2024 school year LIFE offered one grant cycle, awarding $17,495 to youth serving organizations and school projects.

The meetings were packed full of grantmaking decisions and planning for LEAP. They broke into event committees to conquer and divide. LEAP is a one-day event for youth, grades 9 -12, from all three public high schools to learn about philanthropy, community service and leadership. The event had two guest speakers: Seth Maust from Five Star Life and Octavia Yoder with the Community Foundation.

The students began their community service projects in December by delivery generosity cards. Students who participated in LEAP helped create these impactful cards of gratitude for local nonprofits, fire departments, police, and for the businesses who financially supported the LEAP event. In February, LIFE visited with residents at the Waters. They connected while playing games and visiting.

Jamelle Godlewski from Lead and Impact shared about seven habits of highly effective people and helped the students create personal mission statements.

Gwen Owsley was a member of LIFE and Westview’s junior class representative. For the past two years, she served as co-recorder. She was instrumental in helping fundraise for the LEAP event. We were deeply saddened by her unexpected passing. Our hearts are with her family, friends, and all those who loved her. We will remember her bright smile, joyful demeanor, and her enthusiastic spirit in all that she did.

LIFE closed the 2023-2024 school year with the May retreat. They completed a final community service project at the Garage Community Center in LaGrange, packing meals for LaGrange County Hope.

As we plan for next school year, we hope to continue encouraging philanthropy in our community and peers, experience community service and charitable giving through grantmaking.

Lilly Scholarship finalists selected

From left are the 2024 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship finalists Xai Leu, Jace Lang, Taylor Jerdon, Christien Noward and Braden Rogers.

Five LaGrange County high school seniors have been named finalists for the LaGrange County 2024 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship. The prestigious award goes to an outstanding high school senior in LaGrange County.

The finalists include Taylor Jerdon (Lakeland High School), Jace Lang (Westview High School), Xai Leu (Lakeland High School), Christien Noward (Westview High School), and Braden Rogers (Westview High School).

The scholarship is awarded to one LaGrange County graduating senior who demonstrates service and leadership in their community, and a commitment to academic excellence. Among the finalists, one LaGrange County resident will be awarded the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, which will pay their full-tuition at any Indiana college or university, plus required fees. The recipient also will receive $900 per year for books and required equipment.

The Community Foundation received applications from all three high schools in LaGrange County. The  Community Foundation’s Lilly Scholarship Advisory Committee reviews and evaluates applications based on academics, community and school activities, work history, leadership and written essays. Identifying information about the student, such as name, school and gender, are removed during the application process. The finalists are then invited to a personal interview with the committee.

All finalists participated in a personal interview with the Foundation’s Lilly Scholarship Advisory Committee on October 17. The results of the interview round are combined with the application round to determine the 2024 nominees who will be submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana for final selection of the LaGrange County recipient.

Announcement of the recipient will be made in December. The four remaining finalists will each receive the Lambright Leadership Scholarship – a $1,000 award, renewable for up to three years. The Lambright Leadership Scholarship was established by Kevin and Carrie Lambright of Shipshewana in 2013.

The scholarship program is offered each year by the LaGrange County Community Foundation, and other Indiana community foundations across the state to help raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana; to increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations can play in their communities; and to encourage and support the efforts of current and past Lilly Endowment Community Scholars to engage with each other and with Indiana business, governmental, educational, nonprofit and civic leaders to improve the quality of life in Indiana generally and in local communities throughout the state.

Mettert receives 2023 Natalie Kauffman Memorial Nursing Scholarship

LaGrange County Community Foundation is pleased to announce the 2023 recipient of the Natalie Kauffman Memorial Nursing Scholarship: Olivia Mettert.

The $1,000 scholarship supports college students and non-traditional students pursuing a degree in nursing. The scholarship is open to students who have graduated from a LaGrange County high school or adults currently working in the healthcare field in LaGrange County. Applicants must be accepted or enrolled in an accredited nursing program to be eligible.

Mettert is a 2020 graduate of Prairie Heights High School, and is entering her senior year of nursing school at Purdue University in West Lafayette.  While at home the last two summers on break, she has worked for Parkview Health in their student nursing program.  Most recently, she worked in the in Infusion Clinic at the Packnett Family Cancer Institute on Parkview’s main campus.

In her scholarship application Mettert wrote: “My hope and reasoning is to be a nurse that provides individualized and compassionate care for all individuals regardless of what their situation may be. By providing this compassionate and individualized care for all patients, their care will not only be optimal, but their lives may be changed by the experience that they have had.”

The scholarship honors Natalie Kauffman, a 2010 Lakeland High School graduate.  Kauffman passed away on October 18, 2013, while a junior in the nursing program at IPFW. She demonstrated love, respect, and compassion for others, and carried the belief that people are on earth to help each other. The Kauffman family established the scholarship to promote those ideals, support aspiring nurses, and continue Natalie’s legacy of helping others.  

$90,000 in Community Scholarships awarded

The LaGrange County Community Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2023 Community Scholarship Program, which aims to support the educational aspirations of students in LaGrange County.

Through the program, the Community Foundation awarded $93,250 in community scholarships to 19 graduating seniors. The program includes 45 donor-created scholarship funds, each with their own unique criteria. Funds are created by individuals, families and businesses and are managed by the Community Foundation.

The scholarship program is open to graduating high school seniors who are pursuing higher education at an accredited university, college, or trade school. The scholarships support a variety of career paths such as education, agriculture, health, science, nursing, and more. Awards range from $500 to $3,000 per award; several scholarships are provided for four years.

“Each year we look forward to awarding our community scholarships to high school seniors. These scholarships recognize the accomplishments the students have achieved in the last four years,” said Executive Director Octavia Yoder.

“We are grateful to the individuals, families and businesses who created these scholarship funds and have worked alongside the Community Foundation. We aspire to welcome new donors and fund more students as the program continues to grow. We are extremely appreciative of the community volunteers who take time to help read and evaluate scholarships. The process is quite an undertaking and is truly a community partnership of donors, volunteers, schools, and Community Foundation staff. It’s rewarding to help support the educational goals of students in our community,” Yoder added.

Recipients of the 2023 Community Scholarships, listed by schools, are as follows:

Lakeland High School scholarship recipients:

  • Allread-Rife Family Scholarship – Mallory Mynhier
  • Brian Evans Memorial Scholarship – Aurora Yoder
  • Bruce Brown Memorial Scholarship – Ezekiel Wachtman
  • Bulldog Spirit Scholarship – Jeremiah Combs
  • Chase Scott Memorial Football Scholarship – Owen Troyer
  • Holly Petersen Memorial Science Scholarship – Ezekiel Wachtman
  • HOPE Nursing Scholarship – Peyton Hartsough and Alivia Rasler
  • Joseph Willard Memorial Scholarship – Ezekiel Wachtman
  • Judy Gage-Keenan Scholarship – Alivia Rasler
  • Lakeland Scholarship – Ezekiel Wachtman
  • Melvin and Marjorie Bricker Memorial Scholarship – Mallory Mynhier
  • Olivia Bay Lemings Memorial Scholarship – Alivia Rasler
  • Paul and Marian Krebs Memorial Scholarship – Gabrielle Hartman
  • Ray and Ruth Culp Memorial Scholarship – Alivia Rasler
  • Terry Schmidt Memorial Basketball Scholarship – Ezekiel Wachtman
  • Schlemmer Scholarship – Jeremiah Comb
  • Virgil and Florence Hardin Memorial Scholarship – Alivia Rasler
  • Waddell Memorial Scholarship – Mallory Mynhier

Prairie Heights High School scholarship recipients:

  • Amanda Lou Crotts Memorial Scholarship – Abigail Myers
  • Beverly Todd Memorial Scholarship – Conner Keeslar
  • Craig D. and Ronda S. Neff Memorial Scholarship – Caylee James.
  • Ellsworth Fanning Memorial Scholarship – Caylee James
  • Kevin Lewis Purdue Agriculture Memorial Scholarship – Caylee James
  • J.O. Mory Company Scholarship – Alyssa Burger
  • LaGrange County Farm Bureau Co-op Scholarship – Caylee James
  • Ned Stump Memorial Scholarship – Conner Keeslar
  • Melvin and Marjorie Bricker Memorial Scholarship – Phillip Sheets
  • Mory Family Scholarship – Phillip Sheets
  • Perkins Family Scholarship – Trevyn Terry
  • Prairie Heights Student Council Scholarship – Abigail Myers
  • Prairie Heights High School Scholarship – Caylee James, Emma Wylie, Phillip Sheets and Trevyn Terry

Westview High School scholarship recipients:

  • Allread-Rife Family Scholarship – Paige Riegsecker
  • Craig D. and Ronda S. Neff Memorial Scholarship – Skye Growcock
  • Farmwald Scholarship – Ella Yoder
  • James F. Kalb Memorial Scholarship – Ella Yoder
  • Keith and Arline Davis Memorial Scholarship – Ella Yoder
  • Kerry Wilt-Spradlin Memorial Scholarship – Paige Riegsecker
  • LIFE Scholarship – Ella Yoder
  • Lyle Smith Scholarship – Ella Yoder
  • Morgan Hunter Memorial Scholarship – Skye Growcock
  • Rheinheimer Scholarship – Emily Stutzman and Skye Growcock

Congratulations to these young men and women!

Natalie Kauffman Memorial Nursing Scholarship Accepting Applications

The Natalie Kauffman Memorial Nursing Scholarship honors the life and legacy of Natalie Kauffman, a lifetime resident of Wolcottville.

Natalie graduated from Lakeland High School in 2010 and attended the nursing program at IPFW. She had 14 months left in her education when she passed away on October 18, 2013.

Natalie demonstrated love, respect, and compassion for others, and carried the belief that people are on earth to help each other. The Kauffman family established the scholarship to promote those ideals and support aspiring nurses and continue Natalie’s legacy of helping others.

This is a $1,000 scholarship that supports college students and non-traditional students pursuing a degree in nursing. And is available to students who have graduated from a LaGrange County high school or adults currently working in the healthcare field in LaGrange County.

This is a great opportunity to get some extra financial help. Be sure to share this information with someone who would have the above qualifications and would be able to use this scholarship money for their degree.

Applications will be accepted until June 15, 2023.

GO HERE to find out more!

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Application deadline approaching for Community Scholarships

Graduating LaGrange County high school seniors who are planning to apply for a Community Scholarship offered through the LaGrange County Community Foundation have until February 15, 2023 at 5 p.m. to submit their applications.  

The Foundation manages more than 45 community scholarship funds. Scholarship opportunities vary according to residency, career fields, current high school attendance, anticipated college enrollment, extracurricular involvement, and academic performance.

Scholarships are available for students who are planning to pursue a full-time education at a college, university, technical or trade school. Students can apply online at LCCF.net/availablescholarships

Applicants should read the criteria carefully, as each scholarship is unique. Awards range from $500 to $3,000 per scholarship and may be used for educational expenses.

A full list of scholarships, criteria, and their award amounts is available online.

Questions about a scholarship opportunity? Contact Scholarship Manager Laurie Sherck at lsherck@lccf.net or call 260-463-4363.

Finalists selected for 2023 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship

The top five finalists for the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship are, from left, Paige Riegsecker, Manisha Ramachandran, Ella Clarke, Kamryn Miller and Ethan Hibbs.

Five LaGrange County high school seniors have been named finalists for the 2023 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship. The prestigious award goes to an outstanding high school senior in LaGrange County.

The 2023 Lilly Endowment Community Scholar will be awarded a full-tuition scholarship including a $900 book stipend per year, for four years to any accredited college or university in Indiana.

Finalists for the award are Ella Clark of Westview High School, daughter of William and Carrie Clark; Ethan Hibbs of Westview High School, son of Cliff and Sandy Hibbs ; Kamryn Miller of Westview High School, daughter of Brian and Brooke Miller; Manisha Ramachandran of Lakeland High School, daughter of Anand and Teresa Ramachandran, and Paige Riegsecker of Westview High School, daughter of Ryan and Jodi Riegsecker.

The scholarship is awarded to one well-rounded LaGrange County graduating senior who exemplifies service and leadership in their community, while maintaining a commitment to academics.

The scholarship program is offered each year by the LaGrange County Community Foundation, and other Indiana community foundations across the state to help raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana; to increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations can play in their communities; and to encourage and support the efforts of current and past Lilly Endowment Community Scholars to engage with each other and with Indiana business, governmental, educational, nonprofit and civic leaders to improve the quality of life in Indiana generally and in local communities throughout the state.

After a competitive application process that evaluates academics, community and school activities, leadership, and written essays, the finalists are interviewed by the Foundation’s Lilly Scholarship Advisory Committee. The results of the interview round are combined with the application round to determine the 2023 nominees who will be submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana for final selection of the LaGrange County recipient.

Announcement of the recipient will be made in mid-December. The four remaining finalists will each receive a $1,000 renewable four-year scholarship from the Lambright Leadership Scholarship Fund, established by Kevin and Carrie Lambright in 2013.

Scholarship Opportunities Available to Graduating 2021 Seniors

More than 45 one-time and several renewable scholarships are being offered through the Foundation to graduating students who are planning to pursue a full-time education at a college, university, technical or trade school.

Apply online: lccf.net/availablescholarships

Scholarship opportunities vary according to residency, career fields, current high school attendance, anticipated college enrollment, extracurricular involvement and academic performance. Applicants should read the criteria carefully, as each scholarship is unique. Scholarship awards range from $400 to $2,000, and may be used for educational expenses.

Two scholarships will be offered for the first time in 2021: the Beverly J. Todd Memorial Scholarship and the Lakeland Scholarship.

The Beverly J. Todd Memorial Scholarship ($1,000) was established to benefit a Prairie Heights graduating senior or a homeschool student pursuing a career in the education field. The scholarship was established in memory of the late Beverly Todd, an elementary teacher who taught for 38 years at Prairie Heights School Corporation.

The Lakeland Scholarship ($1,000) is open to any graduating Lakeland High School student pursuing a full-time degree at a 2-or 4-year college or university.    

To view the full list of scholarships, criteria, and their award amounts click here.

If you have questions about scholarships, contact Laurie Sherck at lsherck@lccf.net or 260.463.4363.

Anyone can Donate to a Community Scholarship, click the button below.

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