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Southeast Gas recently announced its 2022 Give Back to Schools contribution of $148,000 to 20 public school systems in Alabama.

Andalusia City Schools received $10,703 and Covington County Schools received $14,860 this year.

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.

Board members work alongside Superintendents in each school system to determine the best way for funds to be allocated.

“Since this program’s inception in 2010, Southeast Gas has provided more than $1.6 million to public schools, and most of the time these funds are not designated for a particular use, so schools have flexibility about how the dollars are spent,” said Southeast Gas Board Chair and Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba. “Public educators bear an incredible responsibility — to teach, shape, and mold our children. Through the Give Back to Schools program, we are able to express in a tangible way our company’s continued gratitude to our public schools.”

Southeast Gas President and CEO Greg Henderson views the company’s Give Back to Schools initiative as one way to build better communities. “Service comes in many different ways — last summer our employees had an opportunity to work alongside an underserved school in one of our communities, and we literally had boots on the ground investing in the future of that school and its community,” he said. “Today, we’re investing financially in multiple school systems — including that one — in hopes that our gift will make a small difference in our region.”

Local schools are a critical component of community success. 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 multiple scholarships are awarded each year.

Andalusia High School student Ella Kate Nichols, Pleasant Home High School student Elisabeth Worley, Red Level High School student Katelyn Griggs, and Straughn High School student Grace Philpott were among the 23 recipients of the 2021 Community Service Scholarship. The 2022 scholarship recipients will be announced on April 8 and recognized at a luncheon hosted by Southeast Gas on April 26.

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, 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 36 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.