Boy gets free tuition during parade

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - A Vigo County boy went to a parade to get free candy and instead got a free ride to college.

Seven-year-old Bobby Hetterscheidt was awarded a blue penny from Indiana State University, during this year's homecoming parade. The blue penny is worth a four-year tuition scholarship, worth $40,000.

Bobby's mother said when she found out she thought it was almost too good to be true.

"This ain't legit. They ain't just going to throw a blue penny out for $40,000 for four years," Crystal Jenkins said.

But that's exactly what ISU did and while it may be a few years before Bobby heads off to school, his mother said he's already excited about it. Bobby is currently a second grader at Lost Creek Elementary School.