EC, Lawrenceburg seniors win Lilly Scholarships

(LAWRENCEBURG, Ind.) – The Dearborn Community Foundation has announced the recipients of the prestigious Lilly Endowment Scholarship. 

The Dearborn Community Foundation (DCF) awards two students each year. They both receive full tuition and an allocation of $900 for four years of study at any Indiana college or university. 

East Central senior Tyler Stenger was awarded the Lilly and plans to major in Agriculture Economics at Purdue. He is the son of Jeremy and Maureen Stenger.

Stenger is involved in many clubs and organizations including FFA, IHSAA Student Advisory Committee, Trojan Young Life and Dearborn County CASA. He’s also the senior class student president. 

“I’m shocked,” said Stenger. “There are so many amazing kids in this school and the county and I’m grateful to have been chosen. I’m honored. This is great!”

Lawrenceburg senior Aiden Sirk has also been named a Lilly Scholarship winner. He plans to attend either Notre Dame or IU and study Political Science and Pre-Law. Sirk is the son of Amanda McCartney and Adam Sirk. 

“This is a great opportunity and I’m so very thankful. Going through this process taught me so much. I learned about perseverance and to trust myself to just be myself," Sirk said.

Sirk has been active in clubs including Student Council, Hope Squad, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Key Club, Indiana Association of  Student Councils Executive Committee and more. 

Both Sirk and Stenger have each completed a significant number of volunteer service hours as well. 

“Tyler and Aiden epitomize what the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship is all about: community involvement, academic achievement, character and leadership,” said Fred McCarter, Executive Director of DCF. “They were selected from among a competitive group of applicants for this high honor and our community should be very proud of these two Lilly Scholarship recipients, and the other four finalists.”