FORTVILLE, Ind. (WISH) — A nonprofit established in honor of late Fishers teen Hailey Buzbee announced it is starting a scholarship.
Hailey’s Army for Children, Inc. says it will award the Hailey Paige Buzbee ‘Pink with a Purpose’ Scholarship to two graduating seniors at Hamilton Southeastern High School or Fishers High School.
On its website, the group says the scholarships will be given to students who embody the ideas of care, kindness, and courage.
Buzbee went missing in January after communicating with a 39-year-old Ohio man she met online. She was later found dead in Ohio. She was 17 years old.
The nonprofit says the scholarship will honor Buzbee’s spirit by highlighting students who share characteristics with the Fishers teen and make a difference in other people’s lives.
“This scholarship isn’t about being the loudest or having the longest list of achievements,” the website reads. “It’s about being the one who shows up for others, checks in, stands up when something isn’t right, and chooses to care when it would be easier not to.”
Buzbee grew up in Fishers and went to HSE. Organizers are working to expand the scholarship to more schools for the 2026-27 school year.
Each scholarship will be $1,000, according to the Hamilton Southeastern Education Foundation.
The webpage for the scholarship ends with one final reason why the Pink With a Purpose scholarship was established: “Because in today’s world, kindness isn’t just nice, it’s necessary. The ones who live it out are the ones helping to protect and strengthen the people and communities around them.”
Since her death, Buzbee’s parents have called for legislation to create stricter protections for children on social media and other online platforms. Earlier this month, Gov. Mike Braun (R) signed a measure that clears the way for parental-consent requirements and other measures for certain social media platforms used by Hoosiers under 16.
The deadline to apply for the “Hailey Paige Buzbee ‘Pink with a Purpose’ Scholarship” is May 20. A link to the application can be found on the Hailey’s Army website.
