Out of more than 250 applicants, 32 students are receiving $4,000 each to help fund post-secondary education at a college or vocational-technical school. Another 28 are the recipients of runner-up scholarships of $1,000 each.
This year’s winners, who represent high schools from across the electric cooperative’s 10-county service area, share some important distinctions, said Ronnie Lee, CEO of Monroe-based Walton EMC.
“Each of these students exhibits an exceptional work ethic. They have successfully juggled academic rigors along with community service and extracurricular activities,” he said in announcing the 2018 recipients. “More important, these recipients have demonstrated triumph over a significant obstacle in their life — an accomplishment we are proud to acknowledge and reward.”
The Trust has awarded more than 500 scholarships worth over $1.1 million since the program began in 2009. The scholarships are funded by unclaimed refunds to former Walton EMC customer-owners. After all efforts are exhausted to find the rightful owners, the money goes into an endowment provided for by Georgia law.
Listed by school, students receiving a $4,000 Walton Trust Scholarship are:
Apalachee – Ashley Blackburn
Brookwood – Connor Bowler, David Dutton, Jenna Range, Hannah Taylor
George Walton Academy – Kaitlyn Rutledge, Casey Trammell
Gwinnett School of Mathematics and Science – Justice Bigot
Home School – Amber Burgess (Snellville), Anna Higgins (Oxford), Katerina Higgins (Oxford), Emily Sanders (Monroe)
Loganville Christian Academy – Myla Roberts
Monroe Area – David Colin Hendricks, Tyler Smedley
Morgan County – Grant Cofer
Nathanael Greene Academy – Joseph Crumbley
North Oconee – Laura Fletcher, Mason Sale
Oconee County – Will Worthington
Parkview – Grace Buckley, Emily Sandy
Providence Christian Academy – Hayden Grant
Shiloh – Tyra Quintanilla
Social Circle – Austin Malcom, Brittany Townsend
Walnut Grove – Karleigh Jane Castellow, Ansley Myers, Emily Myers, Haylee Peters, Trevor Queen, Duncan Watts
Westminster Christian Academy – Lauren McCollough
PHOTO:
Students from across Walton EMC’s 10-county service area receiving a $4,000 Walton Trust Scholarship are, front row, left to right: Anna Higgins, Home School;Karleigh Jane Castellow, Walnut Grove High; Haylee Peters, Walnut Grove High;Ansley Myers, Walnut Grove High; Emily Myers, Walnut Grove High; TyraQuintanilla, Shiloh High; Brittany Townsend, Social Circle High; KaitlynRutledge, George Walton Academy; Lauren McCollough, WestminsterChristian Academy; Katerina Higgins, Home School; middle row, Emily Sandy,Parkview High; Grace Buckley, Parkview High; Ashley Blackburn, Apalachee High; Jenna Range, Brookwood High; Hannah Taylor, Brookwood High; Amber Burgess, Scholars Guild Academy; Will Worthington, Oconee County High; TylerSmedley, Monroe Area High; Emily Sanders, Heritage Classical Study Center;back row, Duncan Watts, Walnut Grove High; Trevor Queen, Walnut Grove High;David Colin Hendricks, Monroe Area High; Austin Malcom, Social Circle High; Mason Sale, North Oconee High; Connor Bowler, Brookwood High; David Dutton, Brookwood High; Justice Bigot, Gwinnett School of Mathematics and Science.
Not pictured: Grant Cofer, Morgan County High; Hayden Grant, Providence Christian Academy; Joseph Crumbley, Nathanael Greene Academy; Laura Fletcher, North Oconee High; Myla Roberts, Loganville Christian Academy.
