The Kosciusko County Community Foundation presented the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship to two Wawasee High School seniors during a ceremony at the school on Tuesday morning. Pictured from left are WHS Principal Geoff Walmer, recipient Allison Clark, recipient Grant Krull, KCCF CEO Stephanie Overbey and Wawasee Community School Corporation Superintendent Dr. Steven Troyer.

By Keith Knepp
InkFreeNews

SYRACUSE — The hard work of two Wawasee High School seniors paid off handsomely on Tuesday morning, Dec. 12. Grant Krull and Allison Clark were surprised during their first-period honors English class by their parents, school administration leaders, and representatives from the Kosciusko County Community Foundation with the word that they were each a recipient of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship. The scholarship is a four-year, full-tuition award that will allow Krull and Clark to attend an Indiana college or university of their choice. Additionally, it covers fees and an allocation for books and equipment for four years of undergraduate study.

Krull, the son of of Shawn and Lissa Krull, Milford, plans to major in mechatronics engineering technology at Purdue University in West Lafayette. He has been an active community member as a volunteer with Camp Mack, a 10-year member of 4-H, Swaggers Youth Group, Wawasee FFA and Kosciusko Junior Leaders. He has been a member of various WHS extracurricular activities, including the Supermileage Team, Iron Pride Vex Robotics, Thespian Troupe, Academic Super Bowl, National Honor Society, cheer squad, unified flag football and track teams and the swim team.

“”It’s really nice to not have to think about the possible debt that I could have gotten into,” said Krull. “I knew I had a higher chance (to receive the scholarship) because of the number of extracurriculars I’ve been involved in and community service with different organizations.”

“He’s worked really hard since he was a little kid,” said Lissa Krull of her son. “He doesn’t like to stay inactive. He’s always doing something. He’ll come home and say, ‘mom, I’m going to try this.’ He really has followed his own heart and his own path. It’s amazing. It’s really overwhelming to know that (his) college is paid for.”

Clark, the daughter of Alan and Diana Clark, Syracuse, plans to major in biology and will graduate with honors in May. Currently her plan is to attend Purdue University in Indianapolis, but that might change with the benefits of this scholarship. She has been involved in various community service initiatives, including the North Webster Church of God, Kosciusko Youth Leadership Academy and Warsaw Adult Education.  Additionally, she was a member of the Wawasee tennis team, book club, robotics team, Academic Super Bowl, National Honor Society, Key Club, Environmental Club and FFA.

“I’m shocked,” said Clark. “It’s really cool that I won’t have to deal with paying for college. I knew I had some sort of a chance, but I didn’t ever think that I’d ever get it. It’s a little bit of a shock.”

“I think it’s wonderful,” said Alan Clark. “It proves that hard work and being a good person pays off. It opens a lot of doors for her. Places she might not have gone before in Indiana, just because of the cost. She’s applied to a lot of places. It opens up a lot of some other schools that she probably wouldn’t have gone to.”

“It’s humbling, because our county has so many bright students,” said WHS Principal Geoff Walmer. “There are so many other deserving students, from Wawasee, from Warsaw, Whitko, Tippy Valley, but to know that this year two of them happen to be Warriors, it’s pretty special.”

Walmer noted that in his five years as principal at WHS, the school has had five winners of the prestigious Lilly Scholarship. “The fact that they can overcome me and still win it speaks even more volumes about these kids,” he said with a laugh.

“It’s pretty special,” said Wawasee Community School Corporation Superintendent Dr. Steven Troyer. “It’s always exciting when Wawasee has a winner to begin with, but to have two in the same year is really cool. I know that Mr. Walmer and the high school team have been just thrilled to have students in the mix. It’s a testament to the work the kids are doing. I think Geoff said that we had 17 applicants total. To have a couple of them be successful just sets them up really well for their next step. We’re really proud of the work that they’re doing, not only academically, but they’re really good kids as well.”

The Kosciusko County selection process for the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship begins at the Community Foundation, according to CEO Stephanie Overbey. Scholarship reviewers evaluate each application without access to the students’ names or other identifying information. Qualifying criteria include academic excellence, community service, extracurricular involvement, work experience, references and essay responses.

Once the committee selects the finalists, KCCF submits these applicants to the Independent College of Indiana, the statewide administrator of the Lilly Scholarship program.

The scholarship has been awarded annually since 1998 to help Hoosier students reach higher levels of education “in the belief that education is indispensable to the personal, civic and economic well-being of Indiana communities and residents.”