2017 Foundation Scholarship recipients, along with recipients from 2015-16. Back L-R: 2016 recipient Marissa Woodall, 2016 recipient Kayley Fortner, Tristan Stancil, Emily James, Blake Driver, Alex Hernandez, Tanner Duke
Front L-R: Maggie Stewart, Dawson Foust, 2015 recipient and speaker Lauren James, Ross Crocker, Shelby Lynn
CULLMAN – The Cullman Savings Bank Foundation on Wednesday presented scholarships to selected area students during a luncheon at Top of the Town. Nine 2017 recipients were named, along with two return recipients who received scholarships in 2016. Those in attendance to honor the recipients included members of the Foundation Board, officials and principals of the city and county school boards, parents, teachers and counselors selected by the students, and representatives of Wallace State Community College.
Cullman Savings Bank President and CEO John Riley opened the luncheon, saying, “This is an exciting day for us. A lot of you are coming to a special time in your life, graduating. We’ve got an impressive group of young people in this room, and hopefully a bunch of proud adults.”
Riley shared about the charitable work of the Foundation:
“In 1999 (Cullman Savings Bank) started a foundation. The Board of Directors saw fit to try to find ways to give some of this success we’ve had back to the community. So we started a foundation that gives to nonprofits, that gives to many different things in town.
“Five or six years ago, we had the opportunity to help someone go to college, and that was something. We’re always looking for ways to make sure that money makes a difference in people’s lives, and that was a very successful one-time event that we decided to continue doing. So we’ve grown this program up to having multiple grants to students.
“We talked with representatives of the school system(s) about a way that we could not just go down a checklist and figure out who we’re going to give these scholarships to. We want a process here. You kids who are listening, this should make you feel good about yourselves: that one of the adults in your life has looked at you and said, ‘If I had the money, I would send that kid to school.’ Those are the people we’re looking for. You may not necessarily be an A student; hopefully, some of you are, but it doesn’t have to be that. It can be other things in life that can make a big difference: character, integrity, when an adult sees something in you they want to invest in.”
The 2017 recipients, high school seniors, are as follows:
- Ross Crocker – Cullman
- Blake Driver – Vinemont
- Tanner Duke – Holly Pond
- Dawson Foust – Holly Pond
- Alex Hernandez – West Point
- Emily James – West Point/Cullman Area Technology Academy
- Shelby Lynn – Holly Pond
- Tristan Stancil – Hanceville
- Maggie Stewart – Good Hope
The 2016 return recipients, college freshmen, are:
- Marissa Woodall – Wallace State, Cosmetology
- Kayley Fortner – Wallace State, Culinary Arts
In addition to scholarships, all recipients received computer tech devices. First-time recipients received Nextbook two-in-one tablets, while the two return recipients received smart watches. Most of the recipients will be attending Wallace State Community College.
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