The Shelby County Education Association presented scholarships in two categories, student and member, during the April Board of Education Meeting.

The student scholarships are awarded to graduating high school seniors who are children or grandchildren of current SCEA members.  The member scholarship is awarded to an SCEA member who is furthering his or her education.    Each scholarship is worth $1,000.

SCEA educators from across the county review the anonymous applications and award the scholarships based on the quality of the essays and letters of recommendation. This year, the two student scholarship recipients both happen to be from Montevallo High School.

Kelsie Ann Sanders is the daughter of SCEA member Sandy Weeks, who teaches at Montevallo Middle School.  Sanders plans to attend the University of South Alabama.

MyShael Thompson is the daughter of SCEA member Michael Jones, assistant principal at Calera High School. She plans to continue her education at the University of West Alabama.

The member scholarship was awarded to Lean Van Deren, culinary arts teacher at the Shelby County College and Career Center, who is pursuing her Master’s degree. Van Deren wrote in her essay that she truly enjoys helping students see beyond themselves and their needs in order to help them succeed in life.

“A student can choose to live in a room full of mirrors or a in a room full of windows, the choice is theirs to make,” she said. “As a teacher i have realized that I can only help build the window, they are responsible for creating the view.”