Area lawmakers announce local students receive $7,500 teaching scholarships

Southeastern, IN— Several area students pursuing a career in education recently received the Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship, according to State Rep. Randy Frye, State Reps. Randy Lyness, and Cindy Ziemke.

The statewide program awards scholarships to top-performing students who commit to teaching in Indiana for at least five years. Recipients receive $7,500 per year for up to four years to obtain a teaching license. The program began in 2017 thanks to legislation Frye supported. “Teachers can make everlasting impacts on the lives of students, and we can never have too many great educators,” Frye said. “This scholarship helps students pursue their passion to teach others. It is encouraging to see so many local recipients committed to helping our students and schools in Indiana.”

“These scholarship recipients have shown they are dedicated to their own education,” Ziemke said. “That commitment will continue when they pursue their college degrees and when they teach in their own classrooms.” More than 350 students applied and several scholarships were recently awarded to local students:

  • Charles Laymon, Batesville High School, Indiana University Bloomington;
  • Madison Potts, Jac-Cen-Del High School, Hanover College;
  • Kinsey Price, Rising Sun High School, Franklin College;
  • Kari Reer, Batesville High School, Marian University;
  • Abigail Vogel, Jennings County High School, Indiana University Southeast;
  • Rachel Wood, South Ripley High School, Indiana University Southeast.
  • Kylie McPherson, Franklin County High School, Indiana University East;
  • Sarah Price, Oldenburg Academy, Purdue University West Lafayette;

“It is great to see local students get rewarded for their hard work in the classroom,” Lyness said. “To top it off, these students want to lead the next wave of students and serve Indiana schools.”

According to Ziemke, the Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship is available to 200 high-achieving high school and college students each year who either graduate in the top 20% of their high school class or earn a score in the top-20th percentile on the SAT or ACT.

Frye said recipients must earn a 3.0 cumulative GPA and complete at least 30 credit hours per year in order to continue receiving the four-year renewable scholarship totaling $30,000.