Monroe County Finalists for the Lilly Endowment Scholarship 10 High School Seniors Chosen for Academic Performance, Civic Engagement, Community Participation

“Every time I finish tutoring someone, I just feel on top of the world.”

—Anson Reynolds, senior at Bloomington High School South and finalist for a Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship

The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program named ten Monroe County high school seniors as finalists, five from Bloomington High School North and five from Bloomington High School South. Two of the finalists will be chosen by mid-December to receive four-year paid tuition and required fees to an accredited public or private Indiana college or university. 

In addition to supporting young Hoosier scholars, Lilly Endowment created the program to encourage the honorees to “engage with each other and with state leaders to improve the quality of life in Indiana,” among other goals. More than 5,000 Indiana students have received Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships since the program began in the 1997-98 school year, with tuition grants totaling more than $486 million.

Staff at the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County decides what criteria are used to select the finalists and, ultimately, the two recipients, according to Community Foundation Program Director Marcus Whited. Independent Colleges of Indiana (IDI) administers the program, choosing two Lilly Scholars for each county, based on that county’s criteria. For Monroe County, says Whited, the main judging elements are “certainly community and civic engagement in participation citizenship, and of course, academic performance.” He notes that many counties put a priority on academic performance. “That’s fine, and there’s nothing wrong with that at all, but we just feel that Monroe County … is a service community.”

The ten Monroe County finalists show a wide range of interests, from student government and science competitions to participation in sports to working with local community programs. They are Kyle Davis, Anson Reynolds, Dylan Stringer, and twin siblings Lucy Tait and Joshua Tait from Bloomington South (the first time twins have made finalists), and Dominic D’Onofrio, William Foley, Teagan Hanna, Ingrid Pendergast, and Layla Vamos from Bloomington North.

Here’s what the finalists are working on:

Layla Vamos

Layla Vamos — a runner, avid cook, Bloomington North Student Council member, and musician — formed a group called Building Bridges through Beats to play at senior centers around Bloomington. Both of her parents are musicians and teach at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, so she had an early exposure to music. A violinist and viola player, she is concertmaster for the Hoosier Youth Philharmonic. “I feel like Beats had a big impact in the senior community, and we got to make a lot of great connections and with people in general,” says Vamos. She plans to major in psychology or neuroscience and is already assisting Professor Anna Kalinofsky at the IU Neuroscience Lab in the study of the effects of endocannabinoid signaling, as well as working on a research paper with another IU professor on lung function. For relaxation, Vamos says she likes to exercise with her mom or cook with friends. “I’m very honored to have been selected for the scholarship,” she says.

William Foley

William Foley swims breaststroke and freestyle for the Bloomington North swim team, placing in the top five in the 100-meter breaststroke in Indiana high school sectionals this year. “Swimming is more a mental break for me,” Foley says. “I can stop and think what I want to do next, or just turn off my mind for a couple hours [while doing laps].” He’s also an AP scholar with outstanding honors in chemistry and physics. Working at IU’s Hilltop Garden and Nature Center from 2016 to 2019, he became a master junior gardener. He’s also a musician, both as a violinist and in the Indiana State School Music Association Vocal Ensemble. Foley hopes to major in engineering, at either Purdue University or Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. He’s active in Boy Scouts, having achieved Life Scout, and hopes to get his Eagle Scout designation this year. “Scouting has helped me with leadership skills,” Foley says. It’s also given him new opportunities for travel. “I’ve done things I wouldn’t have otherwise,” he says. “This summer I went to Canada and canoed the Boundary Waters.”

Teagan Hanna

Teagan Hanna hopes to major in library science and education and perhaps be a school librarian. Her love for working with children is demonstrated in her activities: interning at the Bloomington Montessori School and babysitting. She is on the track and cross-country teams and serves as vice-president of student council. Hanna is also passionate about environmental concerns and is a member of Bloomington North’s Environmental Club. “I’m conscious about my consumption, not only how much I’m consuming but what I’m consuming,” says Hanna. For example, she mentions getting books from the library before deciding to purchase favorite titles. “I really think about if things are necessary and if it is necessary where can I buy it that’s more sustainable. I plan where I’m driving based on what’s the most fuel-efficient trip.”

Kyle Davis

Kyle Davis has volunteered for Hoosier Hills Food Bank, launched Bloomington Hunger and Homeless Coalition, plays on the Bloomington South tennis team, and is co-captain of the debate team and senior officer for the speech team, among other activities and responsibilities. He hopes to combine his interests in science and politics when he attends college in the fall. “Since a very young age, I’ve been fascinated by the way the brain works and [the] biology and science behind that,” he says. “But I also have a very deep interest in politics, policy, and government studies.” Because he’s so busy, he likes to list out everything he wants to do for the day using the Notion app, and that way he focuses on things that are important to him. “The things that you choose to do in life, I have to be passionate about,” Davis says. “Otherwise, I have no motivation to do it.” He relaxes by playing piano and video games such as Assassin’s Creed. “I can take a couple hours practicing piano, and I feel really good,” he says. “If I have a problem or an issue that I’m dealing with, sometimes just letting out that emotion through the music is really helpful.”

Anson Reynolds

Anson Reynolds has played volleyball at Bloomington South for four years and is in the Bloomington Volleyball Club. She has served on student council for four years, advising 25 freshman as an upperclassman, and also participates in the Indiana Mathematics League, Academy Super Bowl, and DECA, a nonprofit organization that prepares students for entrepreneurship and careers in business. Reynolds’s career aspirations lean toward nonprofit management and international studies. She’s an avid reader, especially of print books that she can find for a bargain of $3 or less. She seeks out works with cultural themes, like learning about Aboriginal people of Australia or a Russian biography. She’s been studying Spanish for six years and hopes to at least minor in Spanish when she attends college next year. “Every time I finish tutoring someone, I just feel on top of the world,” she says. “I could not be happier to help someone else to conquer learning a little bit.”

Dominic D’Onofrio

Dominic D’Onofrio, an award-winning artist who plans to major in architecture in college, found meaning in volunteer fundraising and building for Habitat for Humanity, both at Bloomington North. His charcoal and graphite drawings have won him a Scholastic Gold Key for south-central Indiana and a Best in Show from the Brown County Art Gallery. He’s on the track team at school and runs for pleasure as well as competition. “I run to relax,” he says. “That’s my escape place. It’s a way to let go and clear my mind.” D’Onofrio is a math tutor, but his favorite volunteer work is as a basketball coach for middle schoolers at St. Charles School. He played basketball at St. Charles when he was younger and really appreciated the coaches he had, so he wanted to mentor young players as well. Whatever career he ends up with, he says he’s going to be sure to be a volunteer coach.

Lucy Tait

Lucy Tait of Bloomington South is a member of the Women Empowerment Club and serves on student council and Dance Marathon. She’s a state qualifier on the swim team and also is on the school’s track and field team. Tait plays in concert band, jazz band, and marching band. She’s been a YMCA sports camp counselor and a volunteer at WonderLab Museum of Science, Health, and Technology. She excels academically, too, as a member of the National Honor Society, and has had a 4.0 GPA for eight trimesters.

Dylan Stringer

Dylan Stringer excels in academics at Bloomington South. A National Merit Scholarship semifinalist and AP Scholar, Stringer is also a member of the National Honor Society and participates in the Academic Super Bowl and Indiana Science Olympiad. Stringer plays tennis and is an award-winning pianist. He’s an active volunteer at the Monroe County Public Library and a member of Kiwanis Key Club.

Ingrid Pendergast

Ingrid Pendergast is a member of student council and the Environmental Club at Bloomington North. She’s also a member of the National Honor Society and National Art Honor Society and is a Cougar Leader. Pendergast participated in volleyball and tennis and is a performer in community musicals at Constellation Stage and Screen. She’s a member of Monroe County Youth Council and Future Voters Bloomington. In additional to being an ACLU volunteer, she fosters animals and is a volunteer at the Bloomington Animal Shelter. Pendergast was a 2022 City of Bloomington SWAGGER award nominee.

Joshua Tait

Joshua Tait was a regional medalist in Science Olympiad and is a member of the National Honor Society. He participates in many activities at Bloomington South, including Math League, German Club, student council, outdoor and indoor track, and cross-country. He made the IATCCC Boys Track Academic All-State First Team and was an IHSAA State Track Qualifier for the 400 meter dash and 4×400 meter relay. His musical pursuits include Panther Regiment Marching Band, concert band, jazz band, and pep band. Tait won the ISSMA Music Gold Rating for tenor saxophone and bassoon. He’s been a WonderLab Kids Summer Camp volunteer counselor and has earned the rank of Eagle Scout from the Boy Scouts of America.

The announcement of the two finalists is usually made at a big surprise event at the winners’ schools, with family and friends in attendance. It’s obvious from the finalists noted above that it won’t be an easy choice for the IDI committee, but it will be an honor well deserved.