POWERGRAMS

11 EDUCATION Landon Womack felt his cellphone vibrate, saw the subject line but didn't realize until later it was the most important message of the spring. "When I got home from school, my mom asked me if I had heard from the Alabama Power Foundation," he said. "I told her I received an email but had not had a chance to read it. She was excited to share the news that I won. I immediately pulled up the email and realized it was more than an award: I was named the four- year Presidential Scholar." The son of Renea and John Heard, a Gadsden Crew Headquarters materialman, Womack initially planned to major in computer science at a local university but receiving the top scholarship allowed him to expand his educational options. "Doors opened for me because of this scholarship and I was able to consider opportunities that were not possible for me before," said the 2021 graduate of Collinsville High School. "I'm now planning to attend the University of Alabama in Huntsville majoring in industry and systems engineering. I'm so excited about the new direction for my future and the career opportunities I'll have in Huntsville." Womack was a member of the Collinsville High Beta Club, Future Business Leaders of America, Sigma Kappa Delta and Phi Theta Kappa. He helped establish the Collinsville Panther Network, a film club that produces videos of school activities and shares them on the school's official YouTube channel. "Landon is an impressive young man who has worked hard to achieve educational success and establish himself as a leader among his peers," said Tequila Smith, president of the Alabama Power Foundation. "For 30 years, our foundation has taken great pride in awarding students like Landon for their scholastic performance. We aim to encourage and inspire students to continue making academic goals their priority, now and in the future." When asked how he plans to carry over his leadership qualities into college, Womack said, "In high school, my roles seemed more behind the scenes, and from advice I've received over the years, college is an opportunity to be a new person. I want to make leadership part of my personality and position myself front and center." In addition to his involvement in clubs and activities, Womack focused on his future by taking courses that earned him 42 hours of college credit. "Dual-enrollment courses have been extremely beneficial for me in jump- starting my college career," Womack said. "I earned college credit for core classes including English, history, math and computer science. I also participated in a school partnership with Northeast Alabama Community College and earned a certification from the Google IT Credential Program." This year marks the 30th anniversary of the scholarship program established in 1991 for children of active, retired and deceased Alabama Power employees. The Alabama Power Foundation awards two Presidential Scholarships annually to current high school seniors – one to a student attending a four-year in-state college and one to a student attending a two-year college or vocational- technical school. Both scholarships cover tuition and fees. Scholarship Management Services, an independent organization and a division of Scholarship America, selects the honorees based on academic achievement and other factors. Student changes plans after receiving APF scholarship By Michelle Tims

• Cover