Making his childhood dreams come true, Bishop Noll senior Michael Quintero has been awarded the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, which covers four years of undergraduate tuition, plus a yearly book stipend, for any public or private Indiana college or university.
Quintero was one of only six Lake County students and 143 Indiana students total to receive the scholarship. In Lake County, the scholarship is given by the Legacy Foundation.
"Receiving this scholarship is the biggest honor and it is the biggest accomplishment of my life," he said. "It is a huge honor to represent Bishop Noll and Lake County with this scholarship. Nothing but glory to God for this opportunity. I have known about this scholarship since I was little and I always thought how cool it would be to win. Now I actually get to live out this childhood dream. It is a huge humbling accomplishment that makes me happy to know that I have made an impact in school and in my community."
Quintero is Bishop Noll's 12th Lilly Scholarship winner since the statewide program began in 1998.
After hearing the good news, Quintero felt thankful and honored to have this opportunity.
“I knew it was a dream come true. Not only is it a big deal to me, but it is a big deal to the rest of my family. When my family found out I was representing Noll, they had nothing but confidence in me. It feels amazing to know how proud my family is of me. Most importantly, two days before my interview at the Legacy Foundation, my grandpa died on that Monday morning. It was very hard on my family and I, but to bring this happiness into the family because I won is truly amazing."
Quintero is captain of the basketball and cross country teams at Bishop Noll. He is a eucharist minister at St. John the Baptist and volunteers throughout his community, including at Phyre Ministry and Pierogi Fest.
“Michael’s résumé speaks volumes of his character,” said Noll Principal Lorenza Jara Pastrick. “His four years of hard work are evident in this accomplishment. He’s an exemplary student who I hope sets the stage for other students to follow.”
Quintero, of Hessville, attended St. Catherine of Siena and St. John Bosco schools before joining the Bishop Noll family.
That family atmosphere is what makes his high school special, he said.
After finding out he was Noll’s Lilly Scholar candidate and that he would go against 24 other candidates, he began to feel doubtful.
“Everyone at Bishop Noll - the faculty, administration, the office, teachers, and students - all had faith in me. They would always tell me good luck and that I was going to win. Little did they know how much of a confidence boost this was for me because I was not too confident in myself because of the recent death. Thanks to the family atmosphere and support here at BNI, I was able to accomplish this and win."
He said all his teachers helped him on the journey and English teacher Rose Mullaney, a Lilly Scholar herself, kept him focused and helped him throughout the process. She made him believe he could achieve this dream.
Mullaney said, “Through his commitment to service and personal growth, Michael has left an indelible mark on Bishop Noll and his community. His hard work and generosity embody the Bishop Noll mission and will propel him to great success at Purdue University. We are very proud of Michael and all that he has accomplished as a Warrior.”
Quintero plans to attend Purdue University in West Lafayette and study mechanical engineering.
"My goal is to use this opportunity to achieve and do more. I look forward to using this scholarship in college and getting involved in the Lilly Scholarship Network, where I will be able to stay involved with other college Lilly recipients from all across Indiana. I look forward to continuing to help the community and my school and county proud with my accomplishments."