Parker’s, an award-winning convenience store leader, recently hosted the 2017 Outstanding Students Award Ceremony, where Parker’s President and CEO Greg Parker presented scholarship checks and gifts to six exceptional area high school students. Dr. Paul Pressly, the director emeritus of the Ossabaw Island Educational Alliance, served as the featured speaker for the event, which took place at the Parker’s corporate office in Savannah, Ga. on June 21.
 
"I’m so proud of each of you,” Parker told the students being honored. “At Parker’s, we believe that when you educate young people, the whole community rises. Education is so important.”
 
Parker awarded the top $1,000 academic scholarship to Madeline Prince, who recently graduated from Hilton Head High School on Hilton Head Island, S.C. Collins Sherrill of Benedictine Military School, Brianna Hayes of Appling County High School, Mac Orie of Hilton Head Preparatory School, Haley Fowler of Effingham County High School and Alex LeFavi of South Effingham High School each received $500 scholarships.
 
Since January, Parker’s has honored one outstanding student each month in Georgia or South Carolina for excellence in the classroom, in the community and in sports. A panel of judges carefully reviewed every nomination and identified the following winners:
 
Madeline Prince, Hilton Head Island High School, Hilton Head Island, S.C. (January)

An accomplished student-athlete, Madeline Prince earned a 5.251 GPA in the rigorous IB program at Hilton Head Island High School, served as the golf team captain and earned a number of honors for her leadership skills. She will attend the U.S. Naval Academy in the fall and hopes to become the first female commander of a nuclear-powered submarine.  
 
Collins Sherrill, Benedictine Military School, Savannah, Ga. (February)

Collins Sherrill participated in five sports and took eight AP classes while serving as a Lt. Col in the Junior ROTC program at Benedictine Military School. He will attend Georgia Tech in the fall and plans to major in Engineering.
 
Brianna Hayes, Appling County High School, Baxley, Ga. (March)

Brianna Hayes participated in the Georgia Governor’s Honors program and was a member of the golf team at Appling County High School. She recently participated in the Miss Georgia pageant and will attend the University of Georgia in the fall.
 
Mac Orie, Hilton Head Preparatory School, Hilton Head Island, S.C. (April)

An accomplished student at Hilton Head Preparatory School as a well as a varsity soccer and football player, Mac Orie mentored students and built homes for families in need in Nicaragua. He will attend the University of Georgia in the fall and plans to major in Engineering.
 
Haley Fowler, Effingham County High School, Springfield, Ga. (May)

Haley Fowler is a Georgia Merit Scholar and a Wofford Scholar who helped lead the Effingham County High School soccer team to the state playoffs and volunteered at Memorial Health. The winner of 11 academic awards, she will attend Georgia Southern University in the fall.
 
Alex LeFavi, South Effingham High School, Guyton, Ga. (June)

Alex LeFavi was recently named the salutatorian at South Effingham High School, where he was also a champion weightlifter and award-winning soccer player. He will attend George Washington University in the fall.
 
A strong supporter of education, Parker’s donates a portion of every gallon of gas sold on the first Wednesday of each month to area schools through the Fueling the Community program, which originally launched in 2011. PumpPal club members can select which school will receive the proceeds from their Fueling the Community gas purchase on the first Wednesday.