GREENFIELD — Eight local teens have been announced as this year’s Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship finalists for Hancock County.
Each year, the scholarship program awards two Hancock County high school seniors with full scholarships to the public or private four-year Indiana college of their choice.
Lilly awards 143 scholarships annually throughout the state, which includes full tuition, required fees and a special allocation of up to $900 per year for required books and equipment.
The Community Foundation of Hancock County facilitates the local nomination process, paring down applications to a field of eight which are then reviewed by members of the Lilly Scholarship committee.
As always, this year’s nominees include two seniors from each of the county’s four high schools. To be eligible, students must be in the academic top 15% of their graduating class.
This year’s finalists are Brandon Metz and Brooklyn Willis (Eastern Hancock High School), Emmy Mills and Linnea Walker (Greenfield-Central High School), Mya Adams and Misha Patel (Mt. Vernon High School), and Jocelynn Flagle and Cameron Mann (New Palestine High School).
Mya Adams
Mt. Vernon High School
Mya is the daughter of David and Mary Adams of Fortville. She plans to attend the University of Notre Dame or Butler University and major in political science, psychology and history, with plans to pursue a career in public law.
Mya has a heart for helping other students, especially those younger than herself. She works with the parent-led group at Fortville Elementary to execute school activities such as festivals, trunk or treats, dances and babysitting for PTO meetings. She’s also a counselor for Camp Invention, a S.T.E.M. camp she attended as a child.
She has participated in the Best Buddies tutoring program in her high school and has tutored middle school students weekly during her junior and senior years.
Last year she created a website called Outreach Tree which places informational QR codes in bathroom. The codes lead to information and resources on mental health, drug abuse and addiction, adolescent abuse, bullying and more.
Mya has said her most influential work has been through Ballerina’s Academy of Dance, where she has compiled music and lesson plans to teach young children to dance.
Jocelynn Flagle
New Palestine High School
Jocelynn is the daughter of Jacob and Chasity Flagle of New Palestine. She plans to attend Taylor University and major in human physiology and preventative medicine. Jocelynn plans to become a physician’s assistant.
Growing up, she and her sisters ran a lemonade stand called “Lemon Splash” and a hot cocoa stand called “Cocoa-liscous.” Each year, they chose a different organization or charity to support with proceeds.
Jocelynn also volunteers at Hope Center Indy, where she sorts donations and serves weekly at the food pantry.
The teen has been on mission trips to North Carolina and Washington, D.C. with Brookville Road Christian Church, through which she has worked in food pantries, poured concrete, worked in soup kitchens and ministered to people in the streets.
She’s also spent time in the Hancock County Food Pantry, Brookville Road Community Church leadership Outreach, and service projects at Nameless Creek Camp and Agape Therapeutic Riding Services.
Cameron Mann
New Palestine High School
Cameron is the son of Jeff and Janet Mann of New Palestine. He plans to attend Purdue University and major in pre-med, engineering or computer science, and to become a cardiologist.
The teen was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy last year, which inspired him to become a heart specialist to help kids who face what he has endured.
After his sister collapsed in 2021 from a previously undiagnosed heart disease, Cameron knew he wanted to do something to support her and to make NPHS as safe as possible for other kids. He and a friend have since worked toward getting certified through Project ADAM Indiana, which helps create Heart Safe Schools by providing tools, resources and guidance to minimize the risk of sudden cardiac death.
Cameron has been a Fresh Start leader, mentoring incoming freshmen at his high school. He has also assisted with a middle school running program and is a member and volunteer of the Unified Track Team at his school.
He co-created an organization that will create S.T.E.M. lessons and instruct elementary kids on related careers. He has also been a planner and participant of the Riley Dance Marathon.
Brandon Metz
Eastern Hancock High School
Brandon is the son of Eric and Rose Metz of Charlottesville. He plans to attend Taylor University and major in entrepreneurial management. He plans to pursue a career in real estate development to create better communities through building and financing affordable living spaces, green spaces and small businesses.
Brandon participates in multiple school activities that keep him busy in addition to his volunteer service. At his high school, he is with Youth Leadership Council, Green Team, swim club, track and field and marching band, as well as junior/senior class treasurer.
He’s been involved with Vacation Bible School at Calvary Baptist Church for years, and now serves as the main videographer. He also does various service projects that beautify the church and plays bass guitar with the worship team.
Brandon has also volunteered with the Charlottesville Lions Club Fish Fry and Neighborhoods Against Substance Abuse (NASA), for which he played the lead role of a drunk driver for a commercial.
Emmy Mills
Greenfield-Central High School
Emmy is the daughter of Christopher and Elizabeth Mills of Greenfield. She plans to attend Butler University and major in criminology and psychology. She intends to pursue a career in forensic psychology to make an impact on the prison system, which she feels is deeply flawed by focusing on punishment rather than rehabilitation.
She has been involved extensively with the G-C Drama Club for four years, through which she’s helped organize the high school’s Trick or Treat for Riley and assisted with gift wrapping at Christmastime.
Emmy recently served as the Riley Festival Queen, presiding over the festival and engaging with the public. She’s also volunteered in a number of other ways, like serving as a sidewalker at Agape Equestrian Services and volunteering in a kindergarten classroom during spring break.
Misha Patel
Mt. Vernon High School
Misha is the daughter of Chirag and Falguni Patel of Greenfield. She plans to attend Indiana University and major in biology. She wants to be a doctor who serves with warmth and compassion. She hopes to provide the same type of care she received when her grandfather was removed from life support.
Misha is a three-year member of Y-GIVE, which plans and participates in various philanthropic activities in Hancock County.
She and her mother belong to the Hindu Temple of Central Indiana and help feed hundreds of devotees each weekend. The teen also volunteers at Hancock Health Emergency Department and participates in multiple school activities like Student Government, the Asian Student Union, the Science Olympiad, and Math and Fine Art Academic Teams. She’s also treasurer for the National Honor Society.
Misha has served through Youth Leaders of Hancock County and volunteered at organizations such as Lambswear, Kenneth Butler Memorial Soup Kitchen, Fortville Community Center, Fortville Fire Department and more.
Linnea Walker
Greenfield-Central High School
Linnea is the daughter of Paul and Autumn Walker of Greenfield. She plans to attend DePauw University and major in pre-med, biology, English and Spanish.
The teen said her mom and grandma were her role models and prioritized helping others, which has inspired her interest in pediatric endocrinology.
Linnea has Turner Syndrome and wants to help others like herself as a pediatric endocrinologist.
The teen has many volunteer and service-related projects over the last several years. She has volunteered with National Honor Society and has been a concessions volunteer for Greenfield Youth Soccer League. She has served for Hancock County Feast of Plenty, giving meals and groceries at Thanksgiving to people and families in need.
Linnea is an assistant instructor at Wilkerson Dance Studio and a frequent volunteer through Park Chapel Christian Church, where she supports Lifeline Christian Mission by packing meals for undeveloped countries.
She has traveled to Grand Goave, Haiti, for a short-term mission trip where she helped distribute meals, clothing, formula and diaper, and also painted and cleaned a school, among other other jobs.
Brooklyn Willis
Eastern Hancock High School
Brooklyn is the daughter of Ryan and Carey Willis of Shirley. She plans to attend the University of Indianapolis and major in nursing, with a goal of improving patient’s health through compassionate care.
Brooklyn has volunteered through the Shirley Volunteer Fire Department and Charlottesville Lion’s Club for years, helping out the latter with the fish fry and 4-H fair food tent. She has also handed out Thanksgiving meals through Feast of Plenty and has served as a Salvation Army bell ringer.
The student athlete has also volunteered at (softball) hitting clinics and camps for JW Hitting since middle school, and she organized Hero’s Night commemorating first responders in memory of 9/11 at a home volleyball game.
She also launched an event called Brighten A Kids Day Together, to purchase sensory and therapy toys for patients at Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital. She created a QR code community members can scan to purchase items off the list. She also promoted the event on social media platforms, at school, in the local newspaper, and through friends and family, as well as inserting flyers into programs for school sporting events.
