Elizabeth Wheeler, a Bluffton High School senior, has been named the Wells County Foundation 2024 Lilly Endowment Community Scholar.
Wheeler will receive not only full tuition to any eligible Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university, but also up to a $900 per year stipend for required books and equipment. Lilly Endowment Community Scholars may also participate in the Lilly Scholars Network, which connects scholars with resources and opportunities to be active leaders on their campuses and in their communities.
Wheeler is the daughter of James and Abbey Wheeler. She is a two-year member of National Honor Society and has achieved high honor roll status throughout high school. Wheeler stays busy in and out of school, extensively involved in a variety of extra curricular and service opportunities. Wheeler has also been involved in dance since she was three-years-old, and that’s where she found out about this major award.
In a press release from Bluffton-Harrison schools, Wheeler said, “I was actually at my dance recital and my dad gave (the letter) to me after my first performance. I opened up the letter and I was shocked. I actually started crying. It was really cool. It was really special.”
Wheeler has been active in varsity tennis and served as junior varsity and varsity manager for the Bluffton boys’ basketball teams. She has received numerous honors in the Tri Kappa Art Show and has been an active member of Youth As Resources, Campus Life, Students for Christ, The Creative Arts Council School of Ballet and the Beekeepers Association of Indiana.
Wheeler has an extensive involvement in 4-H, where she has received awards in archery, dairy goats, entomology, fine arts, sewing wearables, group photography and beekeeping to name a few.
She is employed at Wheeler’s Bees and has provided volunteer hours for the 4-H Junior Leaders, the Boys & Girls Club and the Creative Arts Council. Wheeler is a member of Sonlight Wesleyan Church.
Both BHS Principal Steve Baker and Superintendent Brad Yates extended their congratulations to Wheeler.
“Ella may be the most well-rounded student at Bluffton High School,” Baker said. “It is truly amazing all that she has accomplished and all that she is involved in. I believe that is why she has been named the Lilly winner. It is more than just grades. It is more than just community service. Our communities need students who excel in more than one area of their high school experience and Ella is the model for the high-achieving, well-rounded student.”
“This tremendous achievement is a testament to her exceptional academic accomplishments, leadership qualities, and commitment to community service,” Yates said. “Her dedication to her studies and involvement in various community initiatives have not only set her apart but also reflect the values that the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship seeks to honor. It is truly inspiring to witness a student like Ella, who not only excels academically but also actively contributes to the betterment of our community.”
The Wells County high schools were asked to submit the names of students meeting the following criteria: a) minimum GPA of 3.8 on a 4.0 scale; b) planning to attend an accredited four-year Indiana college or university; and c) a full-time resident of Wells County and a current high school senior who will graduate by June 30, 2024.
A total of 46 candidates were determined to have met the initial eligibility requirements. The candidates were judged on academic achievement, school and community activities, work experience, letters of recommendation, and a 500 to 750-word essay conveying what makes him/her special and deserving of the scholarship. These essays were reviewed, scored and ranked by an outside scholarship management professional, and the Foundation sent the recommendations to Independent Colleges of Indiana for the final determination. ICI is a nonprofit corporation that represents 31 regionally accredited degree granting, nonprofit, private colleges and universities in the state.
Lilly Endowment created the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program for the 1998-1999 school year and has supported the program every year since with tuition grants totaling in excess of $486 million. More than 5,000 Indiana students have received the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship since the program’s inception.
The primary purposes of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program are: 1) to help raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana; 2) to increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations can play in their communities; and 3) to encourage and support the efforts of current and past Lilly Endowment Community Scholars to engage with each other and with Indiana business, governmental, educational, nonprofit and civic leaders to improve the quality of life in Indiana generally and in local communities throughout the state. The Wells County Foundation, Inc. administers the Lilly Endowment Scholarship program locally.
“Year after year, the competition for this coveted scholarship award is immense,” stated Foundation CEO Tammy Slater. “The wide range of accomplishments these young adults have achieved in their lives are exemplary and Wells County would be extraordinarily well-represented by any one of the them. Elizabeth is a noteworthy nominee. She maintains outstanding scholastic standing while at the same time being actively engaged in numerous extra-curricular and community activities. She has chosen to pursue leadership positions within many of the activities she has immersed herself in. She has earned the respect of her peers and those who lead her. These characteristics will serve her well as she pursues her education in college. We have great confidence that Elizabeth will enjoy much success.”
