The Wright Way of Caring for Community

Brynn and Aleah Wright carry forward a family tradition of giving back. Following the example of the generations before them, including their parents, Deborah and Vince Wright, the two young women are building their own tradition of service.

This year, Brynn Wright, a senior at Cowan Jr./Sr. High School was recognized as a 2023 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship recipient. The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship in Delaware County recognizes students who show leadership potential, are well-rounded in their involvement, and exhibit community-mindedness. What set Brynn apart as a Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship recipient is her community-minded spirit and ability to incorporate service to others into all areas of her life.

Brynn Wright (left) and Aleah Wright (right)

Brynn specifically highlighted her experience as president of Key Club and participation in 4-H, Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), student council, National Honor Society, and a student athletic leadership group – she ran cross country and track and was a cheerleader.

“I like to do a lot of different things, but in all of them, we’re giving back and trying to involve the community,” said Brynn.

Aleah Wright graduated from Cowan Jr./ Sr. High School in 2021. She was awarded the Dr. William J. McNabney and Thelma V. McNabney Memorial Scholarship, a four-year scholarship award from The Community Foundation. Much like the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, the McNabney is awarded to students who have academic ability, participate in extracurricular activities, show civic responsibility, and exhibit the potential for leadership and future success.

Brynn and Aleah come from a long line of community givers. The Wright family has been in the Cowan area, in southern Delaware County, for four generations. Until 2018, and for more than 80 years, the family operated a dairy business.

“My father and mother were humble,” said Vince about his parents, Brynn and Aleah’s grandparents, who also attended Cowan School and were valedictorians. “They showed us to give back and serve, so the girls got a lot from them.”

The call to give back and academic achievement are trends for the Wright family. Twenty years before Brynn was awarded the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, her cousin Laura (Wright) Kelly, a 2003 Cowan Jr./Sr. High School graduate, received the same scholarship. Laura, the second of 21 grandchildren, and Brynn, the second to last, have a special bond and even share the same birthday.

As part of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program, recipients build a relationship with The Community Foundation that lasts during their time as undergraduate students and ten years after. Brynn is just beginning this relationship, and Laura remained in touch with the Foundation annually through 2017.

“We just want to give back to the community that has given us so much.”

“I’m really thankful for The Community Foundation and so excited for Brynn,” said Laura. “It’s hard to see at that point in your life how big a deal it is to receive a scholarship like that.”

Like her younger cousins, Laura was recognized with a scholarship for academics, leadership, and service. And like her cousins, giving back is part of who she is and something she continues as a tradition in her own family.

Laura works as a first-grade teacher in a rural Illinois community similar to her hometown of Cowan. She and her husband serve their community through their church and other volunteer opportunities. They also look for ways to include their three young children in their service.

Today, many of Vince’s siblings and the Wright cousins still live and work in the Cowan area. Their service is seen across the community.

“I think we’ve been very blessed in our lives and just want to share those blessings with those who need it,” said Aleah. “We just want to give back to the community that has given us so much.”

Brynn will attend Purdue University with plans to study physical therapy or nutrition. Aleah is wrapping up her second year at Purdue and is studying agribusiness. Brynn plans to and Aleah has already started giving back at their college community, too.

When asked about the impact of her scholarship, Aleah responded, “This scholarship has allowed me to be able to devote more of my time to campus and community activities that Purdue has to offer without having to battle all of the financial burdens of college.”

It is clear to see, the Wright family cares for their community. Their authentic way of giving back can serve as a model of philanthropy across generations. Partnerships with neighbors like the Wrights help The Community Foundation grow today, tomorrow, and always.