Prairie Ridge Student Earns Full-Tuition Scholarship

CRYSTAL LAKE, IL - From Community High School District 155: Elmhurst College named Lillian Rizo, a recent Prairie Ridge graduate, as the first-place winner of the inaugural American Dream Fellowship Competition. Elmhurst College began this scholarship to address the challenges first-generation college students face. She won a four-year, full-tuition scholarship.

“As soon as they announced my name, my aunt and I ran up on stage and we both started crying,” said Lillian Rizo, Prairie Ridge High School senior.

Applicants had to create a video about what it would mean to them and their families to graduate from college. The video Rizo submitted included encouraging words from her family.

“By going to college, she’s going to get the information she needs to succeed in the world and inspire people” said Tony Rizo, Lillian’s uncle.

As part of the second round of the contest, Rizo and her family were interviewed on Elmhurst College campus. Rizo plans to attend Elmhurst College this fall and major in French, an interest sparked from stories told by family members about her great- grandfather’s immigration journey from France to the United States.

“I was so passionate that I thought I should make a career out of it. After graduating from Elmhurst College, I will be going into the field of secondary education so I can educate high school students on not only the French language, but the culture.”

Photo courtesy of Community High School District 155