Indiana continues working to shore-up the state’s teacher shortage. The Indiana Commission for Higher Education has awarded 200 scholarships to the second class of Next Generation Hoosier Educators. Officials say that the recipients, selected through a competitive process based on academic achievement and other factors, will receive $7,500 annually (up to $30,000 total) for committing to teach in Indiana for at least five years after graduating college.

“We’re encouraged to have so many driven, passionate students applying for this teacher scholarship, and we look forward to the positive impact they will have in classrooms and school communities across Indiana,” said Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education Teresa Lubbers.

A total of 510 students applied for the 2018-19 Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship, with applications coming from 231 high schools in 86 counties. About two-thirds of applicants were Indiana high school seniors with the remainder comprised of current college students.

To qualify for the scholarship, students had to either graduate in the highest 20 percent of their high school class or earn a score in the top 20th percentile on the SAT or ACT. To continue earning the scholarship in college, students must earn a 3.0 cumulative GPA and complete at least 30 credit hours per year.

Area students who received the scholarship for the 2018-19 academic year include:

BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY
Grace Bowling – Columbus East High School, Indiana University Purdue University Columbus;
Tiffany Collins – Columbus East High School, Vincennes University;
Whitley Eicher – Columbus East High School, Indiana Wesleyan University

DECATUR COUNTY
Olivia Ortman – Columbus East High School, University of Indianapolis

JACKSON COUNTY
Madison Jones – Brownstown Central High School, Indiana University Southeast;
Chloe Smith – Seymour Senior High School, Indiana University Purdue University Columbus

JOHNSON COUNTY
Bailey Evans – Greenwood Community High School, University of Indianapolis
McKenzie Harold – Whiteland Community High School, Franklin College
Marlena Leininger – Greenwood Community High School, Ball State University
Morgan Rayner – Center Grove High School, Purdue University West Lafayette
Madelynn Robbins – Center Grove High School, Indiana University Bloomington
Kaylee Swank – Greenwood Community High School, Ball State University

MONROE COUNTY
Rebecca Frye – Bloomington High School North, Indiana University Bloomington;
Noel Gillenwater – Edgewood High School, Indiana University Bloomington;
Emily Headdy – Edgewood High School, Ball State University;
Greta Stephenson – Bloomington High School North, Indiana University Bloomington

SHELBY COUNTY
Katie Brammer – Shelbyville Senior High School, Indiana University Bloomington;
Benjamin Hall – Shelbyville Senior High School, Ball State University;
Alivia Schornick – Southwestern High School, University of Indianapolis