Pictured above from left to right, Councilman Richard Hardaway, MHS graduate Christian Sabbath, Andrean graduate Victoria Piskol, MHS graduate Janiya Milton and Town Council President Rick Bella at the Legacy Foundation Scholarship Awards Dinner on June 8, 2023.
I had the honor to sit with some of the 4 high school senior scholarship award recipients of the Town of Merrillville Inclusion Scholarship which was funded by the proceeds from the Black History Celebration Dinner that the town hosted in February of this year. The overwhelming support allowed the town to begin a scholarship fund in the amount of $25,000 administered by The Legacy Foundation.
The fund is to benefit both Andrean and Merrillville High School students who have applied for scholarships for the next level of their education including college or trade school tuition. The town has invested $21,000 of the proceeds for the fund and has used $4,000 this year to award four high school graduates. Based on student ratios at both schools, one was chosen from Andrean High School and three from Merrillville High School. Each award was $1,000.
The award winners were Janiya Milton and Christian Sabbath, and Kalob Lucy from MHS, and Victoria Piskol from Andrean High School. Janiya and Christian will begin classes at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana this fall. Victoria will begin classes, also this fall at St. Mary’s in South Bend, Indiana. Currently, we believe that Kalob will be attending IUPUI.
Town Councilman and the Event Chairman, Richard Hardaway joined me at the celebration dinner hosted by The Legacy Foundation on Thursday, June 8, 2023, at The Croatian Center in Merrillville. Three of the seniors and their families joined us and were called up one by one, and presented their awards and other gifts provided by the foundation as the dinner attendees applauded their efforts and congratulated them.
It is my hope that the Black History Celebration Dinner, and perhaps other town events, can continue to fund the scholarship fund so we may continue assisting Merrillville school students with college or trade school tuition costs. -Rick Bella, Town Council President, and Ward 5 Council Representative