HAMMOND – Senior Sergio Meza has enjoyed competing all four years on the speech and debate team at Bishop Noll Institute, but there was no debate needed when it was announced last month that he is one of only six Lake County high school students to receive a coveted Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship this year.
Meza was surprised when his brother made a special announcement over the school PA system. “My little brother, Sergio, has received the Lilly Scholarship!” Ulises, BNI class of 2023, informed the entire school on Dec. 10.
The Lilly Scholarship provides four years of full tuition, required fees and a yearly book stipend to any public or private Indiana college or university. On hand for the presentation was Jodi Kateiva from the Legacy Foundation, which administers the Lilly Scholarship program in Lake County. Each high school in each county in Indiana can nominate just one senior a year for consideration.
The son of Maria and Aurelio Meza of East Chicago, Meza is Bishop Noll’s 14th Lilly Scholar since the statewide program began in 1998. “I feel very honored to win the Lilly Scholarship,” said Meza, who attended East Chicago Lighthouse Charter Academy through fourth grade and graduated from St. Stanislaus School in East Chicago. “I am also deeply thankful for my family, friends and teachers. This award is not just mine; it is a reflection of the support I've received from everyone who has helped me along my journey.
“I am excited about the opportunities the Lilly Scholarship will provide me. It will allow me to continue pursuing my passion of serving the communities of ‘Da Region,’ especially East Chicago.”
Meza’s ‘journey’ so far has included his family and school life, but he looks ahead to a role as a father and a public servant after he graduates from college. “I’m able, as a high school senior, to make adult decisions about my future as I prepare to leave home,” he said, awaiting college acceptances from Wabash College, the University of Notre Dame and Indiana University in Bloomington.
“Right now, I’d say Wabash is my first choice,” he revealed. “It’s smaller, all male, and is set up with classes that seem focused on learning, not just making grades and finding a job and making a lot of money. It has a major that includes political science, philosophy and economy.
“My journey (involves) coming back home and working so all people have the same opportunities that I have had,” he added. Meza, expected to be a Graduate of Distinction at Noll, said he is considering a career as an environmental lawyer or policy analyst, eventually running for public office.
His competition in the Discussion and Extemporaneous Speaking categories of speech and debate have taught him “critical thinking skills. I have most enjoyed topics on history and politics, as well as environmental issues,” he said.
He has also competed on BNI tennis, cross country and track and field teams, displaying his leadership skills as captain or co-captain of all three.
“Sergio breathes Bishop Noll in his drive and determination. Already fighting to help his local community, he is a Warrior inside and outside of the classroom,” academic advisor Kevin Smith said. “He is currently volunteering and attending nature conservation meetings in East Chicago and plans to be an environmental lawyer.”
Bishop Noll principal Lorenza Jara Pastrick also commended Meza. “He always stands up for what he believes is right. As a representative of Bishop Noll, I believe, he models what the Lord calls us to be as missionary disciples. Sergio does what’s right and is comfortable and confident enough to share this with others,” she said.
Kateiva confirmed that Meza was outstanding in his interview with the Legacy scholarship selection committee, which met with 18 Lake County nominees and selected six full scholarship winners, four back-ups and $ 1,000 award winners. An earlier interview by BNI teachers and a counselor helped prepare him, Meza added.
Praising the education he has received at Noll, Meza said, “One of the big things is that public schools, I think, do not stress this region as a melting pot. Bishop Noll has so many kids from so many cultures – Polish, Hispanic, African American among others – and creates a unique sense of community, with chances to understand life and how it varies. At dances, we play all kinds of music, and Latino students may sell tacos that other students buy, while African American students sell their foods and students try that.”
A member of St. Mary church in East Chicago, Meza said his faith is a meaningful part of his life. “I was raised Catholic, and my mom always took me to Mass, faith formation classes and big church celebrations,” Meza recalled. “My faith means a lot to me. I like to focus on the parts that teach you how to be a good person. We often don’t do it, but I want to focus on that, and not just on learning about it.
“I admire St. Augustine, my confirmation saint, because he was able to change his life after his many failures, and his mother, St. Monica, who prayed for him (to convert) for so long. As a Hispanic who lives his culture every day, I’m also close to Our Lady of Guadalupe.”
Lilly Endowment Community Scholars participate in the Lilly Scholars Network, which connects both current scholars and alumni with resources and opportunities to be active leaders on their campuses and in their communities. The scholarship program and scholars network are supported by grants from the Lilly Endowment to Independent Colleges of Indiana and Indiana Humanities.
Caption: Sergio Meza (second from left), a senior at Bishop Noll Institute in Hammond, was surprised last month when the school announced that he is one of only six Lake County students to earn a prestigious Lilly Scholarship. On hand for the announcement are his parents, Maria and Aurelio Meza, and his older brother and BNI alumnus Ulises Meza. (Provided photo)