Wawasee Student Getting Full-Ride Scholarship
SYRACUSE — An email received by Leeann Estrada one day while at school was more than just another email. She would soon find out the financial burden of attending college was lifted and, more importantly, she could take steps toward fulfilling her dreams and goals.
Estrada, a senior at Wawasee High School and the daughter of Rhonda and Javier Estrada of Leesburg, was the recipient of a prestigious Wells Scholarship to attend Indiana University. Each year, more than 100 or so students nationwide apply for the scholarship and about half or even less of the applicants, depending on how many apply, are invited to an interview. Of those, roughly 15 to 25 each year will actually be awarded the Wells Scholarship.
This is the type of scholarship not given every year to a Wawasee student, noted Sarah O’Connor, guidance counselor at the high school. In fact it has been at least a few years since the Wells or anything similar has been awarded to a Wawasee student.
To say the scholarship is full-ride is no exaggeration. It pays for books, tuition, room and board, a meal plan, one year to study abroad, a paid internship and a living stipend that can be used in numerous ways. Unlike some other huge college scholarships, the Wells can only be used for students attending IU.
Estrada received an email at school one day from the director of the scholarship program asking her to call him. She called and when she heard the news she had been awarded the scholarship, “I was so excited, I started crying,” she said.
She was particularly interested in the scholarship because of the studying abroad option. “I want to be a missionary and I’ve wanted to be one for a long time,” she said concerning her future goals.
Estrada is still in high school and understandably her college major is undecided, but she is interested in botany and music. She has been involved in FFA at Wawasee, including a national award winning horticulture judging team, and a missions trip to Africa caused her to become interested in sustainable agriculture.
Being a missionary would involve teaching sustainable agriculture and also working with children in some form, which she enjoys doing.
She is not only involved in FFA at WHS, but also the National Honor Society, Warrior Leadership Committee, plays the cello and was on the girls soccer team. Other interests include soccer, reading historical fiction and also reading Reader’s Digest articles.