First Commerce Credit Union recently awarded four $1,000 MyWay scholarships to credit union members ages 17-29 to help support their higher education pursuits. This is the 10th year First Commerce has awarded scholarships to recognize students who demonstrate excellence in school and beyond.

Two MyWay scholarships were awarded to Florida students and two were awarded in Georgia. Alani Beauchamp and Miles Gillespie, both from Tallahassee, were selected as this year’s Florida scholarship recipients. Aiden Allgood from Adel, Ga., and Luke Maples from Valdosta, Ga., were this year’s Georgia scholarship recipients.

MyWay Scholarship applications and essays were judged by an independent panel of educators from distinguished institutions of higher learning, including Florida State University, Florida A & M University, Tallahassee State (formerly Community) College and Valdosta State University.

Winners were selected based on criteria including grades, community service, leadership, school activities, and work experience. Each applicant was also required to submit an essay or short video elaborating on their experiences with and approach to money, as well as lessons learned. Scholarships will be paid directly to the student’s chosen institution of higher learning and can be used to help pay for school expenses such as tuition, fees, and books.

“First Commerce is committed to empowering generations and helping members achieve their financial aspirations,” said Cecilia Homison, First Commerce CEO. “The MyWay Scholarship helps our young members pursue their education goals, which can open doors to career opportunities that set them on a path toward long-term financial success.”

About the Winners

Alani Beauchamp, Florida

Alani Beauchamp is studying Psychology at the University of Florida. She dedicates about 10 hours weekly to extracurricular activities, including serving as a mentor to students to “support them and foster success in their academic and non-academic undergraduate journey.”

Beauchamp is also active in the Florida Innocence Initiative, which raises awareness about wrongful convictions, the Society of Young Behavior Analysists, and Black Women leaders in Law. She spends time exploring various styles of dance as a member of the Extreme Dance Company. In her essay, Beauchamp said she has learned, “financial literacy isn’t merely about managing money, it’s about diligence and self-resilience.”

Miles Gillespie, Florida

Miles Gillespie is planning to study Accounting and Finance at the University of Florida. The honor student spent more than 300 hours volunteering and participating in church activities including the youth group at Good Shepherd Catholic Church. Gillespie noted in his essay that he learned good money habits from his parents who taught him every dollar should have a purpose. “Those purposes can be divided into three sections: Spend, Save and Give.”

He was a member of several honor societies and subject clubs including the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, the National Society of Leadership and Success the C.C. Tallahassee JCL Latin Club and the Home School Book Club. In addition, Gillespie worked an estimated 1,000 hours during his school year.

Aiden Allgood, Georgia

Aiden Allgood, a 4.0 graduate of Cook High School, will attend Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College to study Biology. He was a member of the Marching Hornets Band and the Concert Band throughout high school, devoting hundreds of hours to these extracurricular activities. Allgood was also a member of several school-based clubs, including the Anchor Club and Health Occupation Students of America, and participated in work-based learning. He was also active in the Antioch Church Youth group while in high school.

Allgood credits his Economics class for teaching him about proper budgeting and the importance of setting aside savings. “Through the balance of spending and saving money, I can reach my future goals.”

Luke Maples, Georgia

Luke Maples, who graduated from Lowndes High School, plans to attend the University of Georgia to study Civil Engineering. In his essay, Maples said he learned a lot about money and how to manage it when he turned 16. “I had to learn to manage money to pay for gas, insurance and other activities. I was more skeptical about spending it and became more dedicated to saving it for future endeavors, especially college.”

The 4.0 honor student was a member of his school’s Math Team and Club, as well as the Chess Club. Maples volunteered at Crossroads Baptist Church and was a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. In addition, he worked at the Kindred Development construction company.

To be eligible to apply for a MyWay Scholarship, students must have a First Commerce checking account in good standing. First Commerce offers two types of free checking accounts for young adults — SmartStart Teen (for ages 13-17) and Power Checking (ages 18+). Both accounts offer financial empowerment features such as free online financial education courses, an Automatic Savings Option, no Overdraft Fees, the ability to send and receive money securely through Zelle^®, real-time text and email alerts on account activity, credit score monitoring and management, and 24/7 digital banking with mobile deposit. For more information about the MyWay Scholarship, visit FirstCommerceCU.org/Community/In-The-Community/MyWay-Scholarship.