Kiwanis Club announces scholarship winners

ALBANY — There was double the excitement for a Lee County family at the May 19 meeting of the Kiwanis Club of Dougherty County.

Twin sisters Chelsea and Courtney Sheridan, 18, graduates of Lee County High School, were both recipients of scholarship awards from the Kiwanis Club of Dougherty County Foundation, as was Andrew May, 18, also of Leesburg. Andrew graduated through the Southwest Georgia Home School Association. Chelsea was awarded the foundation’s $2,000 Greg Neff Scholarship to the University of Georgia while Courtney received a $1,000 General award to attend Georgia Technical Institute, and Andrew earned the $1,000 Larry Price Scholarship which he plans to use at Darton State College.

The three were chosen from among 29 applications submitted for consideration, according to foundation board member Larry Price. With that many applicants, it was a difficult decision, he added, but the students chosen demonstrated excellence in academic achievement, community involvement, and other criteria for receiving the awards.

Presiding over the scholarship presentations, Price told the trio, “You are about to embark into a new land, college, and there will be uncertainties that you face, but know that you have been prepared, and trust in yourself and believe that you have a future and a hope that will develop you into the person you were created to become.”

Chelsea Shirley had a weighted high school GPA of nearly 3.99. She aspires to a career in broadcast journalism. She said she has always “been intrigued by the news” and her goal is to someday be an anchor on NBC’s Today show, leading to her dream of becoming “an influential employee of NBC Universal.” She will attend the University of Georgia to major in Digital and Broadcast Journalism.

Courtney Shirley is an academic standout, with a weighted high school 4.53 GPA and was fourth-ranked in the LCHS graduating class of 348 students. Courtney plans to attend Georgia Tech, pursuing a degree in pharmacology leading to a career in scientific research.

Chelsey and Courtney are the daughters of Patsy Shirley of Leesburg and have a younger sister, Candace.

Andrew May plans to seek a degree in biology at Darton then transfer to a four-year institution to pursue a degree in either the medical field or veterinary medicine and is currently employed as a veterinary assistant at Bush Animal Clinic in Albany. He scored 1480 on his SAT exam and 22 on the ACT test. He has two younger brothers, Levi and Ethan.

Andrew is the son of Mike and DeeAnna May of Leesburg and has two brothers, Ethan and Levi.

PHOTO CAPTION

Pictured from left after the scholarship presentations are Kiwanis of Dougherty Foundation’s Larry Price, Chelsey Shirley, Courtney Shirley, Andrew May, and Kiwanis DoCo president Lance Barnes.