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Four Students Receive Financial Assistance Through Operation Roundup

>> Four local students  each received a $500 scholarship through Tri-County EMCs Operation Roundup program. Each year, the Foundation awards $4,000 in scholarships to deserving students who receive their electricity from Tri-County EMC. Applicants are evaluated on academics, financial need and community involvement. Priority is given to nontraditional students who have returned to school and are working. The judges, consisting of retired educators, chose four students to receive the $500 scholarships.

Cynthia Bloodworth will receive her Bachelors degree in Elementary Education from Mercer University this spring. She has worked as a paraprofessional with Dames Ferry Elementary for the last four years and began student teaching in January. Though the road to success has been a long one, she states, "I have always known I wanted to be a teacher since I was a little girl. I knew that I would eventually do this."  Cynthia is a wife and mother of four boys. Even though her free time is limited working and attending school, she  volunteers in her sons sports endeavors and helps her church by volunteering in the nursery, teaching Bible school, leading the childrens' choir and assisting with the youth committee.

Amber Nicole Carter is a freshman at Macon State College (MSC) pursuing a career in the medical field. "Ever since I was a young child, I was fascinated by the medical industry becoming more interested in medicine over the last few years due to the many medical problems both of my parents have had." She aspires to become a doctor, a pediatrician or neonatologist. A recent mission trip to Venezuala  convinced Amber that pursuing the medical field as a foreign missionary was the right choice for her. "I would have the opportunity to work with less fortunate children and help them to  grow mentally and physically."  (31849-01)

Due to Amber's parents' medical bills, she has worked while attending high school to help provide for her family. She continues to work while attending college. Amber has devoted her spare time to church activities, Habitat for Humanity, mentoring and more. To save on college costs, she moved from Fayetteville to Gray where she lives with her aunt while attending MSC.

Rebecca "Joy" Dunnam of Gordon is in the Nursing program at Central Georgia Technical College (CGTC). Her drive to become a nurse began when she traveled to two countries doing missionary work. After completing her high school studies in 2001, Joy taught four English camps and character education to children and lead English/Bible classes at a college in Taiwan for five months. She also assisted with a dental clinic and taught Bible studies to remote villagers along the Amazon River in Brazil. Joy summarizes her experience. "It has always been my desire to save children. My goal in becoming a nurse is that I might use the acquired skills to provide assistance all over the world, particularly in China."  She would like to be a nurse working with Asian orphans.

Currently, she volunteers at the Oconee Area Pregnancy Center, is active in her church and is also a mission group leader. Past endeavors include teaching character education to children in elementary schools and sharing her musical talent with residents in nursing and veterans' homes.  

J. "Mariah" Wood of Gordon is pursuing Emergency Medicine at CGTC. She hopes to be an Emergency Medical Technician and work toward becoming a registered nurse. Mariah, like Joy Dunnam, was home schooled. She reflects "Being home schooled gave me the opportunity to take advantage of what our community had to offer and to develop a sense of pride in my community and enjoy the personal satisfaction of helping others." Mariah has volunteered in River Clean Up, Character Education and Maranatha Missions. She found that her work as a counselor for a local pregnancy center was especially rewarding. Mariah was founder and director of an Abstinence program where she would speak to teens in local schools. <<