South Shelby Chamber awards seven scholarships to 2017 seniors

The South Shelby Chamber of Commerce today handed out seven $1,000 scholarships to students at various schools.

The scholarship recipients were honored at the chamber’s April luncheon at First Baptist Church of Columbiana. They were selected from among more than 55 applicants, said April Stone, executive director of the chamber.

The money was raised from the chamber’s annual silent auction and from portions of proceeds from the Shelby County Shindig barbecue cookoff and the chamber’s annual golf tournament, Stone said.

The chamber was pleased to be able to add a scholarship for a student from Calera High School this year, she said.

Here are some details about this year’s scholarship winners, as provided by the chamber:

• Faith Blair, Calera High School — She is a leader in the National Honor Society, was a Girls State delegate and participant in Youth Leadership Shelby County. She has been a volunteer at Shelby Baptist Medical Center and plans to pursue a degree in nursing at the University of Alabama.
• Daniel Briggs, Coosa Valley Academy — He plays on the baseball team and has maintained a place on the A-B Honor Roll. He works as a communications technician for Business Telephones Inc. and plans to pursue a degree in chemical engineering with a minor in nuclear power generation at Auburn University.
• Andie Bryant, Shelby County High School — She has been Miss Shelby County High School, is a graduate of Youth Leadership Shelby County and has served as vice president of the Student Government Association and in the Key Club, National Honor Society and Beta Club. She does maintenance work and yard work and plans to major in nursing at the University of North Alabama.
• Sophie Campbell, Cornerstone Christian School — She is president of the Beta Club and is a member of the National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta. She has worked an NXS Gym in Calera, and she plans to attend Jefferson State Community College and pursue a degree in nursing.
• Shelby Middleton, Shelby County College and Career Center — She is a member of the Helena Police Explorer program and is parliamentarian for the Titan Robotics Skills USA chapter. She is a supervisor for Simulated Workplace and works as a cashier at Zaxby’s. She plans to attend Jefferson State Community College and pursue a degree in law enforcement.
• Sid Ridgway, Chelsea High School  — He is a peer helper, graduated from Youth Leadership Shelby County, served on the counselor’s advisory council, was an Alabama Boys State representative and won the Hornet Pride Award. He works at the Air Walk Ultimate Trampoline Arena and has a lawn care service, and he plans to major in civil engineering at the University of Alabama.
• Shantell Skinner, Vincent High School — She serves as the Junior ROTC battalion commander and Student Government Association president and is a member of the Beta Club. She also works at Old Baker Farms in Harpersville. She plans to major in biochemistry at Spring Hill College and later go to medical school to become a pediatrician.