Three Chilton County students were among 100 recipients of the 2015 Alfa Foundation scholarship. Each scholarship winner received $1,000 in the program’s second year.

Local scholarship recipients were:

•Haley Barnett of Thorsby, a graduate of Thorsby High School and student at the University of Montevallo.

•Kristina Caton of Clanton, a graduate of Chilton County High School and student at Shelton State Community College.

•Georgia Peters of Clanton, a graduate of Chilton County High School and student at Jefferson State Community College.

Selection for the competitive scholarship program was based on academic record, participation in school and community activities, honors, work experience and future goals.

“In our household, we know the impact of rising tuition costs, as our son recently graduated college and our daughter will be a college freshman this fall,” said Jimmy Parnell, president of Alfa Insurance. “We hope our gift will make it easier for the recipients to focus on studies and gaining professional experience, rather than worrying about paying for their education.”

More than 1,300 applications were received for the scholarship program from high school seniors and post-secondary undergraduates enrolled or planning to enroll in an Alabama two- or four-year college, university or technical school.

The scholarship may be used for tuition, fees, books and supplies required for coursework.

For almost 70 years, Alfa has proudly supported education by being active in the communities it serves. The Alfa Foundation has helped advance learning through the Teacher of the Year and Teacher of the Month programs; investments in colleges and universities; support for career technical education; and other efforts.