Indy Standard

Local students David Lacy from Parke Heritage High School and Hazelle Hill from Riverton Parke Jr-Sr High School have been awarded the Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship. This announcement was made by State Representative Tim Yocum.

The scholarship program, which began in 2016 through legislation by the Indiana General Assembly, provides a renewable scholarship of up to $10,000 per year, with a total of up to $40,000. It is intended for high-achieving high school and college students who commit to teaching in an eligible Indiana school for five years. For the 2025-2026 academic year, a record 1,091 applications were submitted, resulting in nearly 300 scholarships being granted.

"Teaching is one of the most important jobs, and these students are choosing to make a difference," said Yocum. "This scholarship helps set them up for long-term success building a career and leading a classroom."

To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must graduate in the top 20 percent of their high school class or achieve at least the 20th percentile on the SAT or ACT. Alternatively, they can qualify with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

Further information about applying for upcoming scholarships can be found at LearnMoreIndiana.org/nextteacher. Inquiries may be sent to NextTeacher@che.in.gov.