Southeast Gas recently announced its 2019 Give Back to Schools contribution of more than $125,000 to 20 public school systems in Alabama. The Give Back to Schools initiative was established by Southeast Gas and its board of directors in 2010, and provides dollars to public schools based solely on their natural gas usage for the previous year. So, the more natural gas a school system uses, the more dollars that system will receive.

Andalusia City Schools received an allocation of $9,709 and Covington County Schools received an allocation of $13,351. Both school systems intend to use a portion of their funding to enhance technology in several schools, and Covington County also plans to fund leadership scholarships and a portion of the Boys State program with a portion of their funding. Andalusia City Schools Superintendent Ted Watson and Covington County Schools Superintendent Shannon Driver both worked with Southeast Gas Board Member and Andalusia City Councilman Kennith Mount to coordinate the use for this year’s Give Back to Schools funds. “As a former educator, I know first-hand the importance of technology in the classroom. It’s great that this year both school systems are putting a portion of their funds from Southeast Gas into innovative technology programs,” said Mount.

Southeast Gas Board members work alongside Superintendents in each school system to determine the best way for funds to be allocated. “In many cases, these funds remain unrestricted, allowing each school to have maximum flexibility to use the dollars in whatever way necessary for that specific school system” said Southeast Gas Board Chair and Troy Mayor Jason Reeves. “This is our tenth year to provide dollars to our local schools through the Give Back to Schools initiative, and to date Southeast Gas has provided more than $1.3 million to these public schools.”

“Southeast Gas is deeply rooted in the communities it serves, and believes strongly that local schools are a critical component to community success,” said Southeast Gas President and CEO Greg Henderson.

In keeping with the company’s long-time commitment to community service and to local education, Southeast Gas also sponsors the Southeast Gas Community Service Scholarship, a competitive scholarship program for high school seniors attending public schools currently served by Southeast Gas. The scholarships are $1,500, and are awarded to up to 22 students representing the 22 public high schools currently served by Southeast Gas. Applications for the scholarship are available on-line at the company’s website (southeastgas.com) and are due by March 15, 2019. Scholarship recipients are announced April 12, and recognized at a luncheon hosted by Southeast Gas on April 25.

School systems impacted by the Southeast Gas Give Back to Schools initiative are: Andalusia City Schools, Butler County Schools, Coffee County Schools, Covington County Schools, Crenshaw County Schools, Dale County Schools, Daleville City Schools, Dothan City Schools, Elba City Schools, Enterprise City Schools, Eufaula City Schools, Henry County Schools, Houston County Schools, Lowndes County Schools, Opp City Schools, Ozark City Schools and Pike County Schools, Pike Road Schools, Russell County Schools and Troy City Schools.

In addition to the direct financial support Southeast Gas provides to these schools, Southeast Gas employees volunteer dozens of hours each year to improve many of the campuses through construction assistance, landscaping, painting, gas appliance maintenance, light carpentry, tutoring, mentoring and many other activities.

Southeast Gas provides natural gas service to 35 communities throughout Southeast Alabama, and is owned by 14 cities – Abbeville, Andalusia, Brundidge, Dothan, Elba, Enterprise Eufaula, Fort Deposit, Greenville, Headland, Luverne, Opp, Ozark and Troy.