Senior Parents and Athletes, The 2025-26 IHSAA Eugene Cato $2,500.00 Scholarship application is attached. Please make sure any of you that wish to apply complete the attached application and returns it to the Athletic Office by Thursday, January 29th, 2026. (Ignore any other deadlines on the application) One athlete will be selected from all of the applicants to represent Lebanon High School. The Athlete selected will then have an Administrator complete a letter of recommendation required in section III of the application. This is not needed to turn in your application to LHS. We have been very fortunate over the years to have several Lebanon students receive this honor, however, please keep in mind they have always been academically in the top 10% of their class and have achieved several team and individual athletic honors. In addition, this individual has participated in other activities in and outside of school that may include participating in other clubs, more than one sport and community service projects. This is a very prestigious award, only presented to a minimum of 12 student athletes in the state of Indiana, but please do not be discouraged from applying. Each year the IHSAA selects its winners by evaluating and comparing the criteria below against each applicant. The overall strength of the applicants can vary from year to year. Thanks, and Best of Luck! The Award To reward the efforts of Indiana’s high school student-athletes, the IHSAA and IHSAA Foundation, Fortè Sports Medicine, the Indianapolis Colts, Indiana Pacers, Indiana Fever, Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, and Sport Graphics, Inc. have partnered in sponsoring the C. Eugene Cato Memorial Scholarship Awards. Each year, a minimum of 12 seniors are chosen from applicants throughout the state to receive a $2,500 scholarship for their high school accomplishments. These recipients are Indiana’s brightest stars and they embody everything that is right about high school sports. These well-rounded, positive role models have demonstrated excellence in academics, school and community involvement, character, sportsmanship, and citizenship. Eugene Cato and the IHSAA The Centennial Scholarship program was initiated in 2003-04 as a part of the IHSAA’s centennial celebration. Beginning in 2009-10, the annual scholarship awards program was renamed in tribute to former IHSAA Commissioner C. Eugene Cato. “Gene” served as Assistant Commissioner of the Association from 1976 until he became the Commissioner of the IHSAA in 1983 - providing leadership until he retired in 1995. His passion for athletics and his belief in the intrinsic value of athletic competition on the formation of a child’s character enabled Gene to positively impact generations of young men and women with his well-known “Firm, Fair, and Friendly” approach to caring for others. Gene passed away in October of 2008. Scholarship Criteria -During the 2025-26 school year, the student must be enrolled and participate in interscholastic athletics at an IHSAA member school. - The student must be a senior at the IHSAA member school who will graduate during the school year for which the award is being applied for. - The student must have won a varsity letter as an athlete in at least one of the 24 IHSAA-sanctioned athletic programs. -The student must be nominated by the principal or athletic director. -The student must have a minimum of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale or the equivalent. -The student must have no violations of his/her school's athletic code of conduct. School Selection Process Applications for the C. Eugene Cato Memorial Scholarship Awards are attached. One applicant will be selected by all the schools’ applicants by an administrative committee to represent the school. A member school principal may nominate only one student-athlete per year and should submit the application to the IHSAA by February 13th, 2026.