By Haley Mitchell Godwin

Three Crenshaw County students received the Southeast Gas Community Service Scholarship, a competitive scholarship awarded to students who have demonstrated a sincere commitment to community service, with the aim of making the world a better place. Southeast Gas awarded 25 students in the region with $1,500 to be used at the university, college, or technical school of the recipient’s choice.

According to Southeast Gas Board Chair and Andalusia City councilperson Kennith Mount Southeast Gas believes in the power of giving back and uses the Community Service Scholarship to recognize students’ dedication and commitment to service.

“These 25 students exemplify the Southeast Gas vision to serve,” said Mount. “Collectively, they represent more than 10,000 hours of service locally, regionally and globally.I am so proud to have this group of students representing Southeast Gas as this year’s Community Service Scholarship recipients.”

Mackenzie Daniel from Luverne High School, Kaylen Fuller from Highland Home High School, and Eli Nichols from Brantley High School are three of this year’s deserving recipients.

Daniel, the daughter of Brandon and Heather Coots, plans to attend Troy University to major in Biomedical Sciences with a minor in Spanish. She aims to become a family physician and return to her hometown to make a difference in her community. 

Daniel said she is grateful for the scholarship as community service has always been important to her. 

“Becoming a family physician and coming back to my hometown means the world to me,” Daniels said. “This scholarship is so important to me because it is based around community service. Community service has always been something that I have loved to do. I hope that more people begin to help around their community because there is truly no greater joy than seeing someone smile because you helped them that day.”

Fuller, the daughter of Anica Powell, plans to pursue her esthetics certification through Lurleen B. Wallace Community College. She believes in giving back to her community and feels that is how blessings are received. 

Fuller said she is grateful for the scholarship, which will make paying for her education less of a hassle. She plans to continue her service to her community.

“I’ve always believed in giving back what I receive,” Fuller said. “I want to give back to my community, as it has given back to me. By receiving the great opportunity from the Southeast Gas Community Service Scholarship, along with others, I’m proud to say that paying for my education will no longer be as much of a hassle. I’m beyond grateful for receiving this scholarship, and I plan to continue my service to my community through beauty, charity and generosity. A big thank you to everyone at Southeast Gas, and a huge thank you to those like them who continue to serve our community.”

Nichols said he is also grateful for the scholarship  which will allow him to pursue his future career goals. He plans to attend the University of Alabama in Birmingham (UAB) and pursue an undergraduate degree in kinesiology with a career goal to become a physical therapist so that he can continue to help others in the future.

“I plan to attend UAB and pursue an undergraduate degree in Kinesiology with a career goal to become a physical therapist,” said Nichols. “This will give me a way to continue to help others in the future and I am grateful to Southeast Gas for recognizing me as the Brantley High School recipient of this scholarship.”

The Community Service Scholarship program is part of an overall commitment by Southeast Gas to serve area schools through its Give Back to Schools initiative. Since the scholarship’s inception in 2015, 169 students have received more than $250,000 in funding to assist with college. Additionally, local schools in the Southeast Gas service area receive direct assistance through the company’s Give Back to Schools programs, totaling more than $1,400,000 over the past 14 years.

Southeast Gas volunteers also spend time working to improve many of the campuses through construction assistance, landscaping, painting, gas appliance maintenance, light carpentry, tutoring, mentoring and many other activities.

Southeast Gas provides natural gas service to 36 communities throughout Southeast Alabama, and is owned by 14 cities – Abbeville, Andalusia, Brundidge, Dothan, Elba, Enterprise, Eufaula, Fort Deposit, Greenville, Headland, Luverne, Opp, Ozark and Troy.