High school students win Lilly Endowment

As recent IU graduates look ahead to the professional world, two Bloomington high school students embark on their college journeys with a prestigious award.

Emma St. John and Winston Winkler were chosen as the 2014 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars by the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County. Both are graduates of Bloomington High School North.

In addition to a scholarship covering their cost of tuition, they will receive a $900 stipend for books and other academic materials each year.

“I know that the Lilly Scholarship will change my life,” Winkler said in a press release.

The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program began in 1998 as a way to promote higher education in the state of Indiana. In 2009, Indiana ranked 43 out of 50 states in educational attainment, with only 22.5 percent of its residents 25 or older obtaining at least a bachelor’s degree.

The scholarship program has helped nearly 4,000 Indiana high school graduates attend college and has given more than $300 million in scholarships since it began.

Fifty-four graduates from Monroe County have been awarded the scholarship. St. John and Winkler were chosen from a field of 62 applicants from six high schools in Monroe County.

Winkler plans to attend IU to study biochemistry. He participated in band and track and field all four years at BHSN, as well as clubs such as National Honors Society. He’s also the senior class president.

St. John will attend IU in the fall to study human biology. In addition to her scholarship, she was named to the Herald-Times’ All-Area Track and Field First and the All-Area Basketball Second teams.

“I am truly grateful that the Lilly Endowment and the Community Foundation chose to invest in my education,” she said in a press release.

Another BHSN graduate, Gregorio Lopes, was originally selected to receive the award but declined in order to go to an out-of-state school.

After a blind review of the written applications for the award, the 11 finalists were interviewed. The final rankings comprised of scores from the written portion and the interview and were approved by Independent Colleges of Indiana, which represents 31 in-state institutions.

Tina Peterson, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County, said in a press release that she is inspired by winners of the award who go on to become professionals. Annie Marshall, an author and physician based in Indianapolis, was a recipient of the scholarship in 2001 when she graduated BHSN.

“The benefit realized by this community and our state by encouraging these exceptional young people to pursue an education in Indiana is immeasurable,” Peterson said.