ATLANTA – (May 17, 2017) – GPS Hospitality, one of the nation’s largest BURGER KING® franchisees, today proudly announces that it has awarded 337 scholarships to students in eleven states this graduation season through the BURGER KING McLAMORE℠ Foundation.
Funded by local restaurants through their guests’ generous donations, students named BURGER KING℠ Scholars receive $1,000 scholarships to further their educational advancement – joining more than 3,200 other recipients throughout North America that were awarded a collective $3.5 million in 2017.
The BURGER KING Scholars selected for the 2017 program from Gwinnett County, Ga. include:
• Autumn Williams, Archer High School
• Runako Campbell, Archer High School
• Megan Burchfield, Buford High School
• Mary Ashley Etefia, Central Gwinnett High School
• Michelle Vo, Central Gwinnett High School
• Ducal Hoang, Discovery High School
• Tsvetomira Peykova, Duluth High School
• Lu Yih, Duluth High School
• Nya’ Ross, Grayson High School
• Oluwatob Uwe, Grayson High School
• Celese Gray, Grayson High School
• Samuel Coughlin, Meadowcreek High School
• Mohamad-Baasim Rehan, Mill Creek High School
• Bryan Endsley, Mill Creek High School
• Santiago Escobar, Mountain View High School
• Jasmine Keeler, Norcross High School
• Raya Ward, Norcross High School
“We are honored to recognize the achievements of this year’s McLamore scholarship recipients. We believe in their capacity to succeed through hard work, and we wish them well with their continued academic pursuits,” said Tom Garrett, CEO of GPS Hospitality. “We would also like to thank the members of our restaurant teams for helping fund these grants, which wouldn’t be possible without their support. These scholarships truly make an impact on the lives they touch and in the communities they serve.”
GPS Hospitality restaurants participated in both the Spring and Fall McLAMORE Foundation fundraisers in 2016, which generated $337,000 in $1 donations. Since its inception in 2000, the Foundation has awarded more than 30,000 scholarships to high school seniors, BURGER KING® employees, their spouses/domestic partners and children across the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, resulting in $31.8 million in grants to students in local communities.
This year’s recipients were selected by the BURGER KING McLAMORE℠ Foundation based on their grade point average, extracurricular activities, community service and work experience.
“Investing in thousands of students each year is our way of advancing education,” said Amanda Israel, executive director, BURGER KING McLAMORE℠ Foundation. “These regional awards represent the top students across the nation who are working towards creating a brighter future for everyone.”
The BURGER KING Scholars program is the BURGER KING McLAMORE Foundation’s flagship program, established to honor the legacy of the BURGER KING brand’s co-founder James W. McLamore, whose commitment to philanthropy and education made him a pillar of community service throughout his lifetime.
For more information on the program, including instructions for 2018 scholarship applications, please visit www.bkmclamorefoundation.org.
