May 1, 2008

Grant Bucher, Kandice Spera Lilly Endowment scholars

Two Wells County students will receive four-year full-tuition scholarships as the Wells County Foundation 2008 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars. Grant Bucher and Kandice Spera will receive not only full tuition to the accredited Indiana college of their choice, but also an $800 per year stipend for required books and equipment.

Grant Bucher, a Norwell High School senior, is the son of Trent and Kelli Bucher. He will attend Purdue University this fall, studying engineering.

He is a two-year member of the National Honor Society and a six-time recipient of the Regal Knight award. He was a Delegate to Senator Lugar’s Symposium for Tomorrow’s Leaders, and a State Qualifier in “We the People.” Bucher has received numerous Golden Knight awards, is a two-year member of the Academic Team and one-year member of the Speech Team. He has been an active member of Student Council for four years, serving as class treasurer during his senior year. He has served as editor for the newspaper staff in addition to being named “Most Valuable Staff” person.

Bucher has been an active member of the varsity football and swimming teams, serving in the capacity of captain for both teams. In football, he was named Lineman of the Year, Scout Team Player of the Year, NHC Player of the Week and All-Conference Honorable Mention. He also participated in varsity track for two years.

Bucher has provided volunteer services for a multitude of community organizations including the Bluffton Distribution Center, the Marion Youth Center, the American Red Cross, Christian Care Retirement Community and for numerous school-related activities. He serves as treasurer of the Apostolic Christian Church Sunday School. He has been employed as a lifeguard for Ouabache State Park, and the Norwell Middle School and also teaches swimming lessons.

Kandice Spera, a Bluffton High School senior, is the daughter of Mark and Maryann Spera. She will attend Valparaiso University to study Biochemistry.

Spera served as a Federalist Platform Committee Member and Judge of the Circuit Courts for the American Legion Hoosier’s Girls’ State program. She has received Academic Recognition Honors in Mathematics, Foreign Language, Business Education, Language Arts, Chemistry, Drawing and Painting and was named in Who’s Who Among High School Students for three consecutive years.

She was recognized as an “Outstanding Scholar” in her freshman year by the Bluffton Rotary Club and The Wells County Foundation, Inc. She has participated in the Tri Kappa Art Show for four years and served as president of the Art Club in her junior year. Spera has been involved in numerous community-service projects as an active member of the National Honors Society. She is a four-year member of the swim team, and served as team captain in her senior year. Spera is also active in Student Council, and Students Making a Difference. She has volunteered for numerous community-service projects through the First Church of Christ and Hope Missionary Church.

She is currently employed as an administrative assistant for Efficient Power Technologies, LLC, and Nesco, Inc.

Accredited high schools with Wells County residents in attendance were contacted last November and 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, public or private; and c) a full-time resident of Wells County and a current high school senior who will have graduated by June 30, 2008.

The following schools submitted a total of 39 students who met the eligibility criteria: Bluffton High School, Norwell High School, Southern Wells High School, Indiana Academy Canterbury High School and Bishop Luers High School. Application materials were distributed to the students in early December.

Each school screened its applicants and submitted one candidate for each 25 of Wells County senior students, based on the 2007 fall enrollment. There were a total of 17 candidates submitted to the Foundation as follows: Bluffton High School, five; Norwell High School, eight; Southern Wells High School, three; and the Indiana Academy, one. The candidates were judged on academic achievement, school and community activities, letters of recommendation, and a 500 to 750-word essay conveying what makes him/her special and deserving of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship. Reviewed, scored, and ranked by an outside scholarship management professional, the Foundation sent the recommendations to Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) for the final determination.

The scholarships are the result of a statewide Lilly Endowment initiative to assist Hoosier students reach high levels of education.

“The competition for this coveted scholarship is tremendous,” stated Foundation CEO Tammy Slater. “The accomplishments these young men and women have achieved are extraordinary and Wells County would be remarkably well-represented by any one of the candidates.” “We are especially proud of Grant and Kandice and wish them every success as they begin their pursuits of higher education.”

In the event any one or both of the recipients would be unable to enroll in the fall of 2008, Joel Reinhard, a Norwell High School senior, will be first alternate and Casey Carroll, Southern Wells High School senior, will be second alternate. Both Joel and Casey, Wells County Foundation Scholars, will receive a $1,000 scholarship to be awarded from the “Ellen A. Gerbers Memorial Scholarship Fund” and the “Wells County Foundation Scholars Fund” to attend the college or university of their choice.

The remaining thirteen most worthy candidates and their schools are as follows:

Bluffton High School – Leander Cinninger, Kelsey Crowe, Chelsie McCorkle, Angela Smith; Norwell High School – Jacqueline Cossairt, Kara Dettmer, Jay Fiechter, Joshua Mieher, Katelyn Moore, Alison Painter; Southern Wells High School – Joshua Lavanchy, Shawn Longenberger; Indiana Academy – Kathryn Coolman.