On Wednesday, December 2, 2015, East biology teacher Derek Chastain received an award from the Twenty-First Century Scholars program in Indianapolis at 6:00 pm. Mr. Newell and Mrs. House also attended the ceremony with Mr. Chastain that night.

Chastain said, “I was very honored to be recognized as a distinguished alumni”.

Mr. Chastain graduated from the class of 1996 at West Washington High School. He attended Indiana University Bloomington for a B.S. in Biology and a M.S in Secondary Science education. He is now a Biology Teacher here at Columbus East High School.

Teresa Lubbers, Indiana Commissioner for higher Education, served as a state senator in the Indiana General Assembly for sixteen years where she led education and economic development. Teresa Lubbers was at the awards ceremony, and presented Chastain with the award.

Indiana’s Twenty-First Century Scholars program is a need based program for students to earn up to a four-year scholarship at any Indiana college or university.