Marion High School Alumni Association congratulates this year’s winners of the Marion Giants Athletics Boosters Scholarship: Emma Bento, Da’Yonna Fouce, Mike Herrington, Geoffery Johnson, Nathaniel Beck, Larry Cox, Caleb Hawkins, Ava Marroni, and Taylor Stahlman, all members of Marion High School’s Class of 2025.

This scholarship is for student-athletes. In total, $3,250 was awarded this year.

Emma Bento, $500 scholarship winner

Emma has been captain for the varsity cheerleading squad, and she is in her fourth year of competition with the MHS track & field varsity team. She was also a 2-year member of the varsity girls soccer team.

She is also vice president of the Class of 2025, and serves as secretary for the National Honor Society and Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica (Spanish Honor Society). She is also an officer for the M-Club. She is a member of Mu Alpha Theta National Mathematics Honor Society and Science National Honor Society. She has served in the Student Senate, Key Club, and the Best Buddies program. She is a member of FCA, and she is an AP Ambassador. She has also served with Grant County Rescue Mission and Kiwanis Club.

She has volunteered as a guest reader at local elementary schools, and she has participated in Earth Day cleanup at Marion’s Matter Park. She has also assisted with local youth sports camps. 

Emma plans to attend Butler University and major in marketing.

“Playing sports at Marion has taught me to be a leader and to keep my priorities straight,” she said. “It has also allowed me to become more involved with my community and create bonds with students, coaches, and teachers that I would have never been able to without being involved in sports.”

Emma is also a recipient of another scholarship facilitated by the Marion High School Alumni Association: the Robert Hull Business Scholarship.

Da’Yonna Fouce, $500 scholarship winner 

Da’Yonna has played volleyball at Marion since junior high. She was selected All-NCC second team. She is also a three-year member of the MHS softball team. 

She is a member of Future Health Professionals / HOSA (Health Occupational Students of America)

In addition to being a member of the MHS Class of 2025, she has been a student in Grant Regional Career Center’s health sciences program, working toward her clinical medical assistant certification (CCMA). Da’Yonna’s career goal is to become a pediatric nurse. She has been accepted to several colleges and is still considering her choice.

Mike Herrington, $500 scholarship winner 

Mike is a four-year competitor with the MHS cross country team. He was honored as All-State and was selected to compete with the Indiana All-Stars, helping to lead Indiana to a first-place finish at the Mid-East Cross Country Championships. He has earned individual championships in the North Central Conference and in the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) sectional. He has advanced to the regional four times, and in his senior made it to the state finals. 

He is also a state finalist in track, competing in his senior year with the 4 x 800 meter relay, after setting the school record and the North Central Conference record for that race. Mike is a three-year All-NCC cross country runner. He was a state qualifier for the Hoosier State Relays spring indoor track competition in his junior and senior years. 

Mike is also a four-year member of the MHS boys swim team.

He also is class representative for Student Senate, and a member of the leadership team for Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He is a member of Mu Alpha Theta National Mathematics Honor Society and National Honor Society. He has also volunteered with JCB youth ministries. 

Mike is in the top 10 academically in the MHS Class of 2025, and he was selected an Indiana Association of School Principals (IASP) Rising Star in his junior year. He has earned the AP Scholar with Distinction designation, for which a student needs to earn scores of 3 or higher on five or more Advanced Placement exams, with an average score of at least 3.5 on all exams taken. A score of 3 designates the student as “qualified” and capable of doing the work of an introductory-level course in a particular subject at college, and many colleges and universities grant credit and placement for scores of 3, 4, or 5.Mike plans to attend Indiana Wesleyan University to study environmental science with a chemistry focus, and his career goal is becoming a hydrologist. He will continue to compete with the running team at the collegiate level.

Geoffery Johnson, $500 scholarship winner

Geoffery is a four-year member of the MHS football and track and field teams.

In addition to being a member of the MHS Class of 2025, he has been a student in Grant Regional Career Center’s health sciences program, working toward his nursing assistant certification (CNA). He plans to attend Indiana State University with a career goal of working as a travel nurse. 

Nathaniel Beck, $250 scholarship winner

Nathaniel is valedictorian of the MHS Class of 2025. 

He is president of Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica (Spanish Honor Society), and secretary of National Honor Society. He is a leader for Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Student Senate, and M-Club. He has served on the IHSAA Student Advisory Council and he is an AP Ambassador. He is also a member of Science National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta National Mathematics Honor Society, and the Best Buddies program. 

He is a College Board national honoree, and was selected an Indiana Association of School Principals (IASP) Rising Star in his junior year. He has earned the AP Scholar with Distinction designation, for which a student needs to earn scores of 3 or higher on five or more Advanced Placement exams, with an average score of at least 3.5 on all exams taken. A score of 3 designates the student as “qualified” and capable of doing the work of an introductory-level course in a particular subject at college, and many colleges and universities grant credit and placement for scores of 3, 4, or 5.

Nathaniel has been the captain of the cross country, track and field, wrestling, and soccer teams. He has sung with the choir, and he is an active member of his church youth group. He has helped with officiating for middle school track and field, as well as wrestling. He has also volunteered with Marion Community Schools Youth Sports, and with Grant County Rescue Mission, and the NAIA National Championship Track Meet.  

Nathaniel plans to attend Purdue University and study chemical engineering. 

He credits his MHS teachers with helping him to develop a strong work ethic and a desire to always do his best.

Nathaniel is also a recipient of another scholarship facilitated by the Marion High School Alumni Association: the Keller Family Science Scholarship. He was also selected for a Grant County Sports Hall of Fame scholarship, which was announced during the MHSAA’s scholarship awards.

Larry Cox, $250 scholarship winner

Larry has been a standout player for the varsity boys soccer team, earning All-District and All-State twice. He has been named MVP of the team three times, and he earned the Defensive Player of the Season award. He has also competed with the track and field team.  

He plans to attend Manchester University for exercise science, aiming to become a physical therapist. He will be playing soccer at the collegiate level.

“Playing sports at Marion High School has taught me that extra work will pay off,” Larry said.

Larry is also a recipient of another scholarship facilitated by the Marion High School Alumni Association: the Robert Hull Business Scholarship.

Caleb Hawkins, $250 scholarship winner

Caleb has been running cross country at Marion Community Schools since fifth grade. He was a member of the MHS cross country team for all four years, earning the Most Improved award in his senior year. He is in his third year competing with the track and field team. 

He also competed with the MHS E-Sports team for two years. He is a member of National Art Honor Society and FCA. He has performed with various instrumental ensembles at MHS, including wind ensemble and pep band. He has also competed in the Indiana State School Music Association’s Solo and Ensemble contest three years, earning two gold medals at the state level. He was selected to the All-State Honor Concert Band in his junior year. As a junior he earned a College Board national award.

In addition to his school activities, Caleb has completed a full marathon and 10 half-marathons, and he has hiked in 27 national parks and 16 Indiana state parks. He is also involved as a volunteer at REAL Community Covenant Church. He has served as an intern at Marion Public Library and Museum, and has helped run admissions and concessions for the Police Athletic League (PAL) Club, as well as working other part-time jobs.

He plans to attend Indiana Wesleyan University and major in multimedia communications and humanities, with a focus on sports journalism. He has also accepted a spot on the IWU running club. He looks forward to continuing to train for long-distance running.

“Running has been a teacher to me and provided me with invaluable lessons,” Caleb said. “It’s taught me perseverance, discipline, how to push through pain and struggles. It’s taught me how to set and reach a goal. It’s taught me that hard work yields results, and that slacking off doesn’t get you anywhere. It’s taught me that sometimes, you can’t do things alone. Most importantly, running has taught me that every day won’t be your best day, and that’s OK.”

Caleb is also a recipient of another scholarship facilitated by the Marion High School Alumni Association: the Robert Hull Business Scholarship. He was also selected for a Grant County Sports Hall of Fame scholarship, which was announced during the MHSAA’s scholarship awards.

Ava Marroni, $250 scholarship winner

Ava has been a tennis player for all four years at Marion High School. She was named to All-Conference teams in her sophomore and junior years. She also served as manager for the boys tennis team in her freshman and senior years. She has been a member of the MHS bowling team for four years, earning All-Conference honors as a junior. She also played soccer for MHS in her sophomore year.

“Playing sports at Marion has taught me teamwork and that it takes more than just one person to achieve our goals,” she said. My time as a member of the MHS girls tennis team has helped me grow in the areas of sportsmanship and overall character.”

Ava is a member of the MHS table tennis club, and a previous member of the MHS animal science club. She has volunteered with the Cardinal Screamway haunted trail for several years.

She plans to attend Earlham College with a career goal of photography. She will continue playing tennis at the collegiate level.

Ava is also a recipient of another scholarship facilitated by the Marion High School Alumni Association: the Beekman-Porter Tennis Scholarship.

Taylor Stahlman, $250 scholarship winner

Taylor is a four-year member of the MHS volleyball team. 

In addition to being a member of the MHS Class of 2025, he has been a student in Grant Regional Career Center’s health sciences program. She has earned her nursing assistant certification (CNA), and she has been working as a CNA at Twin City Nursing Home as part of GRCC’s career education program. 

She plans to attend Indiana University – Kokomo with a career goal of nursing. 

“Playing sports at Marion has taught me the importance of having a good support team,” she said.

Taylor is also a recipient of another scholarship facilitated by the Marion High School Alumni Association: the Kerry Clevenger Athletics Scholarship.

Congratulations to these outstanding students!

Marion High School Alumni Association is grateful for our collaborative relationship with Marion Community Schools and the community, which enables us to help provide excellent opportunities for Marion students!

We are also grateful to those who served on the scholarship committee. We thank them for giving their time to this special task!

If you would like to give to the Marion Giants Athletic Boosters, you can do so online here.