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VIDEO | Rotary of Statesboro grants 16 $1,000 scholarships

At their weekly meeting on Wednesday, the Rotary Club of Statesboro made a large impact on the future of 16 Bulloch County High School students. Normally the club has over 20 applications for approximately 10 - $1,000 scholarships.
Rotary-SCholarship
Front Row (Left to right) Akela Williams (PHS), Bailey Borck (SHS), Cecilia Smith (SHS), Abigail Scarborough (PHS), Jaycee Sanchez (PHS), Rebecca Dilas (SEBHS), Jada Coble (SHS), Kayleigh Hardee (SHS) Back Row (Left to right): Zarria Penix ((SEBHS), Katlyn Brantley (SEBHS), Jenna Goodson (PHS), Madison Olsen (SHS), Kadin Story (SEBHS), William Bland (SHS), Jayden Hall (SHS), Adison Marsh (SHS) Credit: Grice Connect

At their weekly meeting on Wednesday, the Rotary Club of Statesboro made a large impact on the future of 16 Bulloch County High School students.

Normally the club has over 20 applications for approximately 10 - $1,000 scholarships. The club normally funds five of them and then an anonymous donor, who is also a member of the club, funds the other five.

As in years past, the Rotary Club of Statesboro planned to award approximately ten scholarships of $1,000 each to seniors graduating from the high schools in Bulloch County and/or home school students who are furthering their education at colleges of their choice. All students planning to attend either a two-year or four-year college in the state of Georgia were eligible to apply.

Anonymous donor showed great generosity

Steve Healy, grant committee chair for Rotary, approached the donor this year and told him they only had 16 total applications. The donor asked about the quality of the applications and if they all met the criteria for the scholarship. When Healy confirmed that they did, the donor surprised Healy and agreed to increase the donation from $5,000 to $11,000. This, combined with the $5,000 from the club, allowed them to grand scholarships to all 16 applicants.

"This kind of brought home to me to remember this life lesson. You can't win if you don't play the game," said Steve Healy. "As you continue life's journey maybe you will remember that."

The scholarship money will be given directly to each student just prior to their enrollment at the college of their choice. This way the funds can be used to purchase computers or other college-related needs.  

The two types of scholarships offered by the Rotary Club of Statesboro reflected the Rotary motto of Service Above Self.

Each scholarship recipient was invited to the meeting on Wednesday along with two guests. The recipients were introduced individually to the club and allowed to speak to the club about the reasons they were awarded a scholarship and their future plans.

Below is a list of all the recipients in alphabetical order, along with the college they will be attending and where they are currently attending high school.

Awardee, College Attending and High School

  • William Bland, University of Georgia, Statesboro High School
  • Bailey Brock, Savannah College of Art & Design, Statesboro High School
  • Katlyn Brantley, Augusta University, Southeast Bulloch High School
  • Jada Coble, Georgia College and State University, Statesboro High School
  • Rebecca Dilas, University of Georgia, Southeast Bulloch High School
  • Jenna Goodson, Mercer University, Portal High School
  • Jayden Hall, Georgia State University, Statesboro High School
  • Kayleigh Hardee, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro High School
  • Adison Marsh, University of Georgia, Statesboro High School
  • Madison Olsen, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro High School
  • Zarria Penix,  Georgia Southern University, Southeast Bulloch High School
  • Jaycee Sanchez, Georgia Southern University/Armstrong campus, Portal High School
  • Abigail Scarborough, Georgia Southern University, Portal High School
  • Cecilia Smith, University of Georgia, Statesboro High School
  • Kadin Story, Georgia Tech, Southeast Bulloch High School
  • Akela Williams, Augusta University, Portal High School

Watch the full presentation below:

Attendees impressed by students

Steve Healy commented during the presentation about how impressive this group of students is and how they give us all confidence in our future. I couldn't agree more. One by one each of the students came to the podium and spoke to the near capacity crowd. Their poise, confidence and enthusiasm for their future was remarkable.

Listening to their academic success and future goals was remarkable. But their heart for service for their community was overwhelming.

I looked into the faces of each parent, as their child spoke and that raw emotion, the pride they felt for their child is something their child will never forget. Certainly, I will not.

This is deserving of a bucket load of Grice Goods—especially for the donor who gave the phenomenally gifted children more than just money for school. This donor showed them the transformational power a random act of kindness can make.

I hope the donor was in the crowd and saw the difference they made today.