Indiana Students and Their Heroes Honored in USA Funds-Sponsored Program
Ten former or current Indiana citizens, each of whom made a difference in the life of a teen, recently were recognized at the second-annual Hoosier Heroes celebration. The event, conducted May 11 at the Scottish Rite Cathedral in Indianapolis, also honored the students who submitted essays about their selected Hoosier Heroes.
Hoosier Heroes is an Indiana Dollar for Scholars initiative launched in 2005. The program invited high-school juniors and seniors across the state to participate, with each entrant asked to nominate a current or former Hoosier who has served as an inspirational role model. In the program’s two years, more than 1,000 students have submitted a nomination.
One student nomination from each of 10 categories received recognition for its inspirational value, thoughtfulness and persuasiveness, and for the research conducted. Each of the 10 selected students will receive a $2,000 scholarship to be used toward postsecondary education. In addition, each Hoosier Hero will receive a $2,000 scholarship to designate to the Indiana high school or Dollars for Scholars chapter of the Hero’s choice, with the scholarship to be presented in the Hoosier Hero’s name to a graduating senior.
USA Funds® provided $20,000 toward the scholarships awarded by the 2006 Hoosier Heroes program. In total, more than $40,000 in postsecondary-education scholarships was awarded at this year’s celebration.
“Rising tuition rates and federal-grant programs that have not kept pace make the dream of a postsecondary education hard to reach for many students,” Carl Dalstrom, USA Funds president and CEO, said during the celebration. “Scholarships are more important now than ever and can make the difference in whether students achieve a postsecondary education. USA Funds is pleased to be a part of the Hoosier Heroes program and to award scholarships to these deserving students and their heroes.”
“The nominations were very inspiring,” says Bis Feldmann, director of development for Indiana Dollars for Scholars. “Each nominee is a real person who had a meaningful impact, sometimes without even knowing it, on the life of one of these nominees.”
The following lists the winning student nominators and Hoosier Heroes who were honored at the event:
| Student |
High School |
Category |
Hero |
| Jennifer Lueken |
Forest Park, Ferdinand |
Agriculture |
Dennis Lueken, dairy farmer. |
| Sara Beckman |
South Vigo, Terre Haute |
Arts/
Humanities |
James Alexander Thom, author. |
| Brock Armington |
North Wood, Nappanee |
Banking/
Finance |
T.J. Ceravolo, University of Notre Dame student and North Wood High School graduate. |
| Andrew Metz |
Hanover Central, Cedar Lake |
Business/
Entrepreneur |
Charles Huseman, owner, FFC Fencing Co. |
| Katie Watterson |
Munster |
Education |
Susan Watterson, teacher. |
| Amy Altemeyer |
Brebeuf, Indianapolis |
Medicine/
Health |
Dr. Joseph Mamlin, physician working in Kenya. |
| Amanda Didier |
South Vigo, Terre Haute |
Philanthropy/
Volunteerism |
Eva Kor, Auschwitz survivor. |
| Kathleen Salm |
Bedford North Lawrence |
Public Service/
Military |
Phillip Tatom, Vietnam War veteran. |
| Kevin Lange |
Benton Central, Oxford |
Science/
Technology |
Bill Murphy, speech-language pathologist. |
| Brittany Herschberger |
Fairfield, Goshen |
Sports |
Brodie Garber, teacher and basketball coach. |