8 community-minded students vying for Lilly Scholarships

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HANCOCK COUNTY — Each year, Indiana high school seniors apply to the sought-after Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program, which offers lucky winners full four-year tuition scholarships.

Two recipients are selected in Hancock County each year as part of the program, which hands out more than 140 scholarships statewide each year.

The Hancock County Community Foundation, which oversees the county’s application and selection process, has released the names of this year’s eight finalists. The winners are expected to be announced in early December.

Here are the finalists:

Garrett Adams

Eastern Hancock High School

Garrett is the son of Mike and Esteina Adams of Greenfield, who own Comet Kart Sales in Greenfield. He plans to major in computer science and mechanical engineering to be able to contribute to his family’s business, where he has worked the past two years.

Garrett created a nonprofit charity called Garrett’s Giving Back, benefiting the gastroenterology unit at Riley Children’s Hospital. Having been diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease and rheumatoid arthritis, he created the nonprofit to give back to the hospital, where he’s spent a lot of time for treatment.

Over the past six years, he has helped raise more than $50,000 through the nonprofit by collecting donations, organizing fundraisers, and selling pens he’s made with his father. He’s also participated in the D.A.R.E. drug awareness program at his school, where he has talked to middle school students about the dangers of doing drugs.

Elizabeth Coleman

Greenfield-Central High School

Elizabeth is the daughter of Tracy Coleman and Susanna Coleman, both of Greenfield. She plans to major in math and engineering education to pursue a career in teaching.

Following her passion for teaching, Elizabeth has participated the past four years in Arrow, a program at her high school that works to reduce risk factors for junior high students. This past summer, she received a grant from the Greenfield-Central School Foundation to launch the Jump Start Program, which helps get freshmen and sophomores involved with school activities.

She has also taught preschool and organized events at Mt. Comfort United Methodist Church, and has prepared and served meals at the Kenneth Butler Memorial Soup Kitchen.

Olivia Eastes

New Palestine High School

Olivia is the daughter of David and Katy Eastes of New Palestine. She plans to major in pre-med, with the goal of becoming an obstetrician-gynecologist.

Much of her service work focuses on creating community within her school and town.

As a part of her service-learning class, Olivia has partnered with another student to create a pen pal program that connects elementary students with local nursing home residents. As a student section leader at her school, she uses social media to promote activities, theme days and sporting events.

Abigail Ebbert

Eastern Hancock High School

Abigail is the daughter of Andrew and Shantelle Ebbert of Shirley. She plans to major in either occupational therapy or elementary education.

She has volunteered with the Shirley Volunteer Fire Department since she was a child, doing a wide range of jobs from washing fire trucks to handing out food and water at fire scenes. She has also volunteered with Greenfield Church of Christ-Home Church, serving on mission trips and cleaning and maintaining the church building and individuals’ homes. She also helps with community events through the Shirley Visionaries.

Her service work at school includes helping run the Eastern Hancock Peer Pals Program, which provides social interaction and academic assistance for students with special needs, and serving as a peer tutor in the Essential Skills classroom.

Rachael Gilkison

Greenfield-Central High School

Rachael is the daughter of Scott and Nadine Gilkison of Greenfield. She plans to major in health sciences on the path to becoming a physician. She’s been motivated to become a compassionate doctor by her family’s extensive experience with cancer.

Much of Rachael’s service work has centered on her church, where she has been a regular volunteer in the child-care center, served in the church middle school youth group and gone on three missions trips. She also volunteers at Hancock Regional Hospital, where she’s helped with moving patients, working in the gift shop, changing beds and stocking rooms.

Maitlyn Griner

Mt. Vernon High School

Maitlyn is the daughter of Matthew and Stacy Griner of Greenfield. Her service work with D.A.R.E. has influenced her to pursue a career in law enforcement.

For the past four years, Maitlyn has served as the only D.A.R.E. Youth Advocacy Board member from Indiana. She has spoken at fifth grade D.A.R.E. graduations and officer training conferences, and has made several public service announcements for media outlets. She also implemented the D.A.R.E. curriculum at Mt. Vernon Middle School.

Hayden Kovell

Mt. Vernon High School

Hayden is the daughter of Doug and Sarah Kovell of McCordsville. She plans to become a pediatric nurse.

Her main community service is focused at the Fortville Area Resource Mission (FARM) food pantry. She also leads a fifth/sixth-grade class at her church, where she’s active in the children’s ministry. For the past five years, she has worked with Shepherd Community Center to choose and wrap children’s Christmas gifts with her family. Hayden has also volunteered with the Kyle Guy Foundation’s golf outing and Kenneth Butler Memorial Soup Kitchen fundraisers.

Emma Mann

New Palestine High School

Emma is the daughter of Jeff and Janet Mann of New Palestine. She intends to major in special education, after having served in her high school’s essential skills classroom for several years.

When Emma was 9, she formed an organization called Emma’s Peace Bears in honor of her aunt who had died from colon cancer. The organization donates a new teddy bear to anyone of any age going through chemotherapy. Each bear comes with a handwritten note with words of encouragement. She has helped raise $10,000 to purchase the bears, and manages the team of volunteers who assembles them with Build-A-Bear’s help. She hopes to turn the effort into an enduring nonprofit.

Emma also volunteers with the Indianapolis Children’s Choir Jubilate Choir, which gives children with disabilities the opportunity to express themselves musically, as well as the Indianapolis Zoo Teen Program and Dragon Flyers running program.