WARSAW — The Kosciusko County Community Foundation is pleased to announce this year’s Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship recipients: Titiksha Gorhe and Ian Parrott.

The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship is a four-year, full-tuition scholarship that enables recipients from each participating Indiana county to attend an Indiana college or university of their choice. In Kosciusko County, the Community Foundation appoints a committee to lead a blind review process of all local applications.

Titiksha Gorhe

Titiksha Gorhe is a senior at Warsaw Community High School and will graduate in 2026 with academic honors. She plans to major in neuroscience.

“Learning about the nervous system greatly fascinated me because there is still so much to discover; the sense of mystery and opportunity for ongoing research fueled my interest in becoming a Neurosurgeon. I want to dedicate my life to bringing hope back into people’s lives, allowing them to lead the healthy life they deserve,” she shared.

Titiksha participated in the HOSA Future Health Professionals, Environmental Club, Hope and Hygiene Foundation, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Hugh O’Brian Leadership Conference, Envirothon, Harvard Pre-Med Summer Academy, KEY Club, Student Organ Donation Advocates, Varsity Diving, Ballet, Kosciusko Youth Leadership Academy, Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council, and the Science Academic Super Bowl.

Ian Parrott

Ian Parrott is a senior at Warsaw Community High School and will graduate in 2026 with academic and technical honors. He plans to major in electrical engineering.

“Some of my favorite memories are with my 3DS. I always wanted to be able to make something that could bring people the same kind of imaginative experience,” he shared. “The beauty of engineering is that you can make a difference in so many ways, no matter where you go. I plan to explore the countless options at Purdue University.”

Ian participated in the South Bend Youth Symphony, Business Professionals of America, His Majesty’s Puppeteers, Kosciusko Youth Leadership Academy, National Honor Society, Club Diving: Indiana International School of Diving, Warsaw Community Church Youth Group, Phi Theta Kappa, Tiger Leadership Council, Inclusivity Council, School Orchestra, and the diving, pole vault, and soccer teams.

Titiksha and Ian were both celebrated with a surprise award ceremony on December 15 at Warsaw Community High School.

How Lilly Endowment Community Scholars are selected

Each Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship provides full tuition, fees, and an allocation for books and equipment for four years of full-time undergraduate study at any eligible Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university.

The Kosciusko County selection process for the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship begins as Community Foundation scholarship reviewers evaluate each application without access to the students’ names or other identifying information. Qualifying criteria include academic excellence, community service, extracurricular involvement, work experience, references and essay responses.

Once the committee selects the finalists, the Community Foundation submits these applicants to Independent College of Indiana (ICI), the statewide administrator of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship program for the final selection of recipients.

Since its inception in 1997–98, Lilly Endowment has supported this program with tuition grants totaling more than $505 million, benefiting over 5,400 Indiana students. The program’s primary purposes are:

• To raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana.
• To increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations play.
• To encourage and support Lilly Scholars’ engagement with Indiana leaders to improve quality of life statewide.

Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion. Although the Endowment funds programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion and maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.

Since 1997, Independent Colleges of Indiana has administered the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program statewide with funding provided by Lilly Endowment. Founded in 1948, ICI serves as the collective voice for the state’s 29 private, nonprofit colleges and universities. ICI institutions employ over 22,000 Hoosiers and generate a total local economic impact of over $5 billion annually. Students at ICI colleges have Indiana’s highest four-year, on-time graduation rates, and ICI institutions produce 30 percent of Indiana’s bachelor’s degrees while enrolling 20 percent of its undergraduates.

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WARSAW —  A team of five Warsaw Community High School students recently placed 6th overall at the NCF Envirothon, held at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta.

Envirothon is an international competition focused on environmental and natural resource conservation, where students develop and present solutions to pressing environmental issues.

Having already secured regional and state titles earlier this year, the team, made up of recent WCHS graduates Sydney Clark and Evan Hand, rising senior Titiksha Gorhe, and rising juniors Kevin Gough and Sean Smith, went on to represent Indiana against 51 teams from across the U.S., Canadian provinces, and China during the week-long event.

Students participated in intensive field trainings across five key areas: Aquatic Ecology, Forestry, Soils and Land Use, Wildlife, and the Current Issue of "Roots and Resiliency." These trainings were followed by rigorous written and hands-on testing.

One of the most challenging components of the competition was a 20-minute oral presentation, for which students developed a detailed forest management plan titled “Forestry for the Future.” The team completed this during a six-hour sequestration with no internet access or outside assistance.

Team member Titiksha Gorhe reflected, “The most challenging part was creating the oral presentation while being sequestered for six hours. Our ability to stay focused as a team and play off each other’s strengths was really tested under the time crunch.”

Team captain Sydney Clark added, “Creating a successful oral presentation requires integrating everything you’ve learned from all the subject areas into one practical and complex plan.”

Their preparation and teamwork paid off. Their oral presentation earned the 4th-highest score overall, and their consistently strong scores across all five resource areas secured Indiana’s first Top 10 finish in many years.

Students also had the opportunity to explore the natural beauty of Banff National Park and build friendships with peers from across North America and China. The breathtaking landscapes of the Canadian Rockies, along with sightings of bighorn sheep, mule deer, and jackrabbits, offered a stunning contrast to Indiana’s scenery.

The team extends heartfelt thanks to the community organizations and individuals who helped make this experience possible, including Kosciusko Soil and Water Conservation District, The Watershed Foundation, Warsaw Kiwanis Club, Arrowhead RC&D, Nicodemus Cards and Gaming, and Lewis Salvage, as well as numerous individuals who contributed their time, resources, and expertise for their support.

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The Warsaw Panthera team (seniors Sydney Clark and Evan Hand, junior Titiksha Gorhe, and sophomores Kevin Gough and Sean Smith) had an impressive 86 on the written test (next closest score was a 77), including perfect scores in Wildlife and Forestry.

In a tension-filled final score tally, they came out on top and will be representing Indiana at the NCF Envirothon in Calgary, Alberta, in July.

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News Release

WARSAW — Five Warsaw Community High School (WCHS) students had the opportunity to compete at the NCF Envirothon competition in Geneva, N.Y.

The Envirothon is a competition focused on environmental and natural resource conservation problem-solving, where students develop solutions to both local and global environmental issues. Having already won at the regional and state levels earlier this year, the students went on to represent Indiana against teams from other states, Canadian provinces, China and Singapore, according to a news release from Warsaw Community Schools.

Caleb Aukeman, Sydney Clark, Titiksha Gorhe, Bronwyn Harrison and Elizabeth Osborn participated in field trainings covering Aquatic Ecology, Forestry, Soils and Land Use, Wildlife and the current issue of Alternative Energy, followed by rigorous written and hands-on testing. They also created and presented a 20-minute presentation titled “Putting Your Best Hoof Forward … Bringing Green Energy to a New York Farm.”

At the end of the competition, the Warsaw team achieved an impressive 17th place overall — the highest placement for an Indiana team in many years. Their hard work paid off with a score of 96 out of 100 on the Aquatic Ecology portion, an eighth-place score in Forestry, and their oral presentation earning the 13th best score.

Beyond the competition, the students had the chance to explore the local area, including a visit to Niagara Falls and made connections with peers from around the world.

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