Charlie Glover of Sweet Water High School in Marengo County was among only ten high school students statewide to be awarded the prestigious scholarship awards for 2009 by the Smith Scholarship Foundation.

The foundation’s administrator, Ahrian Davis Tyler, made the announcement today. Each of the 2009 scholars is the first in his or her family to attend college.

The foundation was endowed in honor of her parents by Alabama journalist/heiress, Mignon C. Smith.

The Smith Foundation scholarships go to Alabama high school seniors to attend qualified Alabama colleges of their choice, always subject to Smith Scholarship Foundation guidelines.

A minimum C+ grade average and community volunteer work or special family responsibility is also required. Scholars must maintain a minimum grade of C+ to continue the four year scholarship.

The value of each scholarship is approximately $15,000 annually.

Each student has a mentor, a counselor and has workshops that teach how to interview, etiquette classes and how to dress appropriately for business.

“This is the fourth class of Smith Scholarship Foundation scholars,” Tyler said. “Once again, the selection committee was given the unenviable task of selecting from among hundreds of worthy applicants, making the awards to the ten finalists chosen.

After much deliberation, Charlie Glover and the others were selected. The fourth class of Smith Scholarship Foundation had 550 applicants, and all but three counties had applicants.”

Ms. Glover has volunteered extensively in the community, is drum major and vice president of her class, and helps care for her father who is a disabled Vietnam War veteran. She also carries out many chores on her family’s small farm.

Ms. Glover plans to become a veterinarian and will major in pre-vet studies at the University of West Alabama.

Nearly 70 Smith Foundation scholarships have been awarded to Alabama high school seniors by the Smith Foundation since the start of the program four years ago. State Superintendent of Education Joseph Morton cited the Smith Foundation scholarships as the largest endowment made to public schools in Alabama history.

– from staff reports