PRESTONSBURG, Ky. (WYMT) – The WYMT Food City Mountain Classic Scholarship Awards ceremony celebrated more than 120 students at the Mountain Arts Center Tuesday, announcing $1,000 investments in each of their futures.
The annual event provides scholarships to students across the region, seeing 124 scholarships awarded on site and two to be awarded later this week- the second largest number of awards in one year.
“As a first-gen college student from Eastern Kentucky, who doesn’t really have the ability to pay for college out of pocket, this is really important to me. And it’s really nice to see organizations in the field that I want to go into helping kids like me,” said Johnson Central High School senior Constance Martin.
Keynote speaker Philip Haywood shared wisdom with attendees. He said, between his coaching and his work as a guidance counselor, he has seen the impact of scholarship on the mountain’s brightest minds.
“I’ve seen so many kids- not only from our school, but other schools in this area- take this scholarship and see where they are 10 years from now,” said Haywood. “And that’s why I think it’s just a stepping-stone to future success.”
The event provided lunch for the students before bringing them into the theater to walk across the stage for their scholarships.
“To me, it is more of an opportunity to go to college. You know, more cover over the finance aspect,” said Breathitt County High School senior Brady Coomer. “’Cause college is expensive.”
Everyone involved said the sponsors of the scholarships make the event possible, which students said is a great sign their community cares about their future success.
“It’s also a confidence boost. It gives you the like the realization that you’re able to do it and other people believe in you,” said Shelby Valley High School senior Madison Newsom. “Because you don’t know these people that are awarding you the scholarship. And they read your essays or your application and they’re like, ‘This girl deserves it. And she can actually do something with it.’”
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