Lilly Scholarships given to SR seniors
Holly Toops and Erin Collier named recipients
Wanda English Burnett - Editor

Amidst tears of joy, Holly Toops and Erin Collier gratefully accepted the Lilly Scholarships giving them a free ride to college.

Both South Ripley seniors learned on Thursday, March 31, that they have been named the recipients of the Ripley County Community Foundation 2005 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships.

Toops and Collier will not only receive full tuition to the Indiana college of their choice, but will also get an $800 stipend for books and equipment.

Collier is the daughter of Mark and Dorothy Collier of Versailles. She plans to attend Hanover College to major in education/mathematics.

Toops is the daughter of Ray and Freda Toops of Osgood. She plans to attend Franklin College and major in secondary education/English.

Both students are top in their class so far this year and have received numerous other awards and have several accomplishments to their credit.

Getting the news on Thursday, Mr. Collier, who is the principal at the South Ripley Elementary School, said it was his birthday and the news was a "wonderful gift."

HOW RECIPIENTS ARE CHOSEN

The scholarship committee is composed of Ripley County residents representing all areas of the county. The committee is not aware of whose

application they are viewing as names and schools of students applying for the scholarships are removed from the applications. At the interviews of the finalists, the students are only introduced by their first names, allowing for as much objectivity as possible.

APPLICANTS ARE NARROWED DOWN

This year there were 57 students from six area high schools who applied for these scholarships. Eight outstanding students were chosen as finalists. After the Ripley County Community Foundation Scholarship Committee narrowed the field to eight, the finalists names were given to the Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. (ICI) for the selection of the recipients.

ABOUT ICI

ICI is a nonprofit corporation that represents 31 regionally accredited, degree granting, nonprofit private colleges and universities in the state. The scholarships are the result of a statewide Lilly Endowment initiative to help Hoosier students reach higher levels of education. Indiana ranks among the lowest states in the percentage of residents over the age of 25 with a bachelor's degree.

THE FINALISTS ARE:

Each Ripley County finalist not
receiving one of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships will be awarded one of the Ripley County Community Scholarships of $1,000.

Those students are: Kimberly Batta, Milan High School, daughter of David and Joyce Batta of Dillsboro; Laura Hountz, Batesville High School, daughter of Marvin and Marilyn Hountz of Batesville; Levi Knowlton, Milan High School, son of Kenneth and Gail Knowlton of Milan; Amanda Mersch, Oldenburg Academy, daughter of Paul and Michelle Mersch of Batesville; Tonya Volz of Jac-Cen-Del High School, daughter of Daniel and Betty Volz of Sunman; and Elizabeth Wehr, Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics and Humanities, daughter of Gregory and Candace Wehr of Versailles.

Superintendent Ted Ahaus, along with other school officials from South Ripley, was present at the awarding of the scholarships. "We are very proud of our students and know they will represent the school well," he noted. Principal Bill Snyder was proud of the girls as well, noting they were excellent students and perfect candidates for the scholarships.

WANDA ENGLISH BURNETT PHOTO

Pictured from left are Erin Collier and Holly Toops, receiving the news from Jane Deiwert of the Ripley County Community Foundation, that they have been chosen to receive the 2005 Lilly Scholarships. Both are seniors at South Ripley High School. Collier is the daughter of Mark and Dot Collier of Versailles and Toops is the daughter of Ray and Freda Toops of Osgood.