'Chronicle' scholarship field narrows

Screams rippled through the air as 16 names were randomly called out at the Make Kids Count drawing April 24.

"Yes!" yelled Kelora Myles, 17, a student at T.W. Josey High School, who made the cut from a list of 32 teenagers in the 13-18 age category.

"I believe that I'm going to make the next selection and the next, and hopefully be selected as the winner," she said. "It's all by faith."

The event, held at Phinizy Swamp in conjunction with the Greater Augusta Earth Day Celebration, attracted more than 40 onlookers.

The Augusta Chronicle kicked off a yearlong contest to provide $10,000 scholarships for children in June. When the year's complete, The Chronicle and other sponsors will have given away more than $80,000 in bonds.

"We want to highlight kids in the community," said Don Bailey, The Chronicle's general manager.

The names drawn Saturday were: Shauna Perry, Aiken; Brandon Zapata, Evans; Alicia Dupass, Augusta; Kelora Miles, Hephzibah; Natalie Sheppard, Evans; Kenny Heath, Aiken; Donna Brown, Hephzibah; Andrew Wynne, Augusta; Brian Lumpkin, Louisville; Cole Portney, North Augusta; Rebecca Lamar, Augusta; Tony Cliett, Grovetown; Sarah Long, North Augusta; Misty Wright, Beech Island; Anthony Thomas, North Augusta and Erica West, North Augusta.

"This is where the contest gets exciting," said Stacy Montoya, a marketing assistant at The Chronicle. "Each kid will get $100 to $10,000 depending on where they end up on the contest."

After the names were selected, Bailey expressed his gratitude for everyone who participated in the contest, and he also expressed his eagerness to see those selected at the next drawing.

The next drawing date has not been announced. Each drawing will narrow the field in half until the grand prize is awarded.

Other sponsors in the contest include Georgia Bank and Trust Co., the Augusta Lynx, Scana Energy, Knology, Partners in Achievement, Platt's Funeral Home, Fat Man's, Taylor Auto Group and Dillard's.