Nov. 4—GREENSBURG — The Decatur County Community Foundation has announced the finalists for Decatur County’s 2025 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship.
Decatur County had 50 students begin the competition process in August by completing an online application and a proctored essay. The application and essay are anonymous because students are identified only by numbers.
The online application was reviewed by a six-member committee made up of representatives from various community entities. Each applicant was scored on community involvement, school activities and work experience. Students were also assessed on academics. A second committee of two volunteers from outside the province reviewed the audited essays.
The scores from these two rounds were averaged, and the top five students advanced to the finalist round. Those top scorers include Savannah Danforth, Christopher Mains and Chase Tekulve of Greensburg Community High School; Cooper Parmer of North Decatur High School; and Makayla Somers from South Decatur High School.
These five students recently completed the final phase of the selection process. This assessment round was also anonymous and was assessed by a third group of new assessors. During this step, each finalist prepared an oral presentation on a topic of their choice. Students also answered a series of impromptu interview questions.
The scores from all three rounds of evaluations will now be sent to the Independent Colleges of Indiana to formally determine a winner.
The top student will receive full tuition at the Indiana school of his or her choice, along with a $900 book stipend. The four remaining semifinalists will receive a DCCF Community Scholarship worth $5,000.
Decatur County’s recipient should be announced in December.
Since the 1997/1998 school year, Lilly Endowment Inc. provided more than $490 million in grants for the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program.
It is administered statewide by Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. with local support from Indiana community foundations. More than 5,300 Indiana high school students have received the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship.
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