'08 Lilly Scholars are named
Comet staff report

German

Two Carroll County students will receive full-tuition, fouryear scholarships as the Carroll County 2008 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars.

Both seniors, Kylee German, of Delphi Community High School, and Angela Jackson of Carroll Jr.-Sr. High School, will receive full-tuition to the college of their choice, and also an $800 a year stipend for required books and equipment.

They were selected by the Carroll County Community Foundation and its scholarship selection committee.

German is the daughter of Randy and Nina German of Delphi. She recalled that while her parents began cheering loudly and rejoicing, when she learned that she had been chosen as one of the scholarship recipients, it was almost an unbelievable and surreal experience.

"When the news began to sink in, I realized what an amazing gift I had received amongst all of the deserving candidates," she said.

German has a reputation in Carroll County for helping others and serving her school and community. In school, she is a member of the National Honor Society, Key Club, and a fouryear member of her high school's basketball team. In addition, she has earned awards for outstanding achievement in mathematics and French and was nominated as a delegate for the Rotary Youth Leadership Association, the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award, Hoosier Girls State Delegate, and a delegate for the Lugar Symposium.

Jackson

German plans to attend Indiana Wesleyan University to pursue a degree in mathe matics education.

Jackson, the daughter of Marilyn Jackson of Burlington, will head to Taylor University in the fall to pursue a degree in physics. At the top of her graduating class, she finds time to contribute to her high school through athletics and other extra-curricular activities. She is a member and officer of the National Honor Society and Key Club; a top participant in the school's conference math contest, a cadet teacher at Carroll Elementary School, a member of the drama club and the Cougar Blues show choir, and has participated in swimming and tennis.

Jackson finds time to volunteer her services in the community through her involvement in Special Olympics, directs the children's bell choir in her church, volunteers at a hospital and has completed her training as an emergency medical technician.

"When I found out I had been selected as one of the Carroll County Lilly Endowment Community Scholars, I could not keep a smile off my face as I realized the blessing I had just been given," said Jackson. "I cannot thank the Endowment and the Carroll County Community Foundation enough."

There were 29 qualified and eligible Carroll County students who applied for the Lilly Scholarship. A committee of volunteers evaluated the applications and selected six finalists who were interviewed by the Carroll County Community Foundation board and scholarship committee.

The other four finalists are being recognized for their achievements with $1,000 scholarships. They are: Kristen Arnett, daughter of David and Tamie Arnett, a senior at Carroll Jr.-Sr. High School; Kyle Bender, son of Kevin and Denise Bender, and Shane Evans, son of Shawn Evans and Shannon Kelley-Evans, both seniors at Delphi Community High School; and Michelle Burke, daughter of Tim and Julie Burke, a senior at Twin Lakes High School.

The Lilly Scholarships are the result of a statewide Lilly Endowment initiative to help Hoosier students reach higher levels of education. Indiana ranks 44th among the states in the proportion of its population age 25 and above who hold a bachelor's degree. There were 216 scholarships awarded statewide.

This is the eleventh year that the Endowment has funded the Lilly Endowment Community Scholars program for outstanding students in Indiana. The Endowment hopes that this program will encourage many of Indiana's most talented students to attend one of Indiana's higher education institutions and after graduation consider pursuing occupations in Indiana.

The Community Foundation defined the criteria based on the Endowment's stated goal to "raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana." The criteria identified by the Foundation and used in the selection process were: scholastic achievements; school, community, and work activities; essay; financial need; and an interview.

The Carroll County Community Foundation is a not-forprofit charitable organization created in 1997. The mission of the Foundation is to improve the quality of life of the community through the accumulation and stewardship of enduring charitable gifts. For details about making a charitable gift or establishing a permanent endowment fund to benefit a charitable organization or interest in Carroll County, please contact the Community Foundation at (800) 964-0508 or visit the Foundation's website at www.cfcarroll.org.