8 Baldwin County students receive Future Teacher Scholarship award

By Jessica Vaughn
Education Editor
jessica@gulfcoastmedia.com
Posted 5/11/22

ROBERTSDALE — Eight Baldwin County seniors received the Baldwin Proud Future Scholarship award, in the amount of $1,000 each. In addition, these students will be able to reapply for the …

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8 Baldwin County students receive Future Teacher Scholarship award

Posted

ROBERTSDALE — Eight Baldwin County seniors received the Baldwin Proud Future Scholarship award, in the amount of $1,000 each. In addition, these students will be able to reapply for the scholarship for up to four years of their bachelor degree program.
"Two years ago we started seeing a shift in the number of college graduates who were pursuing degrees in the field of education," said Tiffany Wilson, BCBE HR Director. "So in the HR Department, what we decided to do is ask how can we help in Baldwin County, how can we make a difference? And that is where the Baldwin Proud Future Teacher Scholarship was born."
The scholarship is awarded to graduating seniors seeking a degree in the field of education. This year's recipients were Mary Kate Robertson, Elberta High School; Amberleigh Gibbs, Robertsdale High School; Kira Berona, Orange Beach High School; Elizabeth Kell, Daphne High School; Citlaly Mendez, Foley High School; Hannah Brooks, Baldwin County High School; Elizabeth "Betsy" Murphy, Fairhope High School; and Zachariah Hixon, Spanish Fort High School.
When the program launched in 2021, four graduating seniors were selected to receive scholarships worth $500 each with the $2,000 donated to the program. This year, the amount of funds donated towards the scholarship program grew to over $50,000 thanks to donations from local businesses, foundations and individuals. The growth in funds allowed for a larger scholarship amount, the renewable scholarships up to four years of the bachelor degrees, and the announcement that last year's recipients will also be able to renew their scholarships during the remaining years of their bachelor degrees.
Remaining funds will be used to create more programs promoting training and retention within the education field.
"This is our second year, but how this has grown in one year, we're just extremely excited about it," said Eddie Tyler, system superintendent. "How it has ballooned in just one year, it tells me that in Baldwin County we have people that do listen, that do hear what we're doing, see what we're doing, and then they reach out and they want to help. That is to me the greatest form of an honor, of flattery, is when people want to help because they appreciate what you're doing and what we're doing for not only our teachers and employees, but our students, and for the health of Baldwin County."