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2025 APGA Scholarship
                               2025 APGA Scholarship
                                       A ward Recipients
                                           ward Recipients
                                       A
          E
                  ach year, the Alabama Propane Gas Association
                  offers three $3,000 scholarships to three de-
                  serving students and employees from Alabama's
                  propane industry. APGA receives many appli-
            cations from gifted students each spring. The APGA
            Scholarship Committee is then tasked with the difficult
            job of choosing only three recipients from the eligible
            applications that were submitted. APGA is proud to
            announce that the 2025 APGA Scholarship recipients
            for the William "Bill" Montgomery Scholarship, David
            Reaves Scholarship, and Don Haden Scholarship have
            been chosen. Please continue reading to learn more
            about these exceptional young people and how they
            plan to use their awards to further their goals.

            William "Bill" Montgomery Scholarship              Dean’s List one and President’s List twice; is a member
                                                               of UA’s Ducks Unlimited Chapter, Alpha Gamma Delta
                   Mary Forrest Bell, daughter of Amanda
            Hollinger of Camden, Alabama, graduated in 2023    sorority - Psi Chapter, and Alpha Gamma Delta Psi Chap-
            from Wilcox Academy with a 3.85 GPA. Mary Forrest is   ter Council; and serves as a 2025 Panhellenic Recruit-
            currently a sophomore attending the University of Ala-  ment Team Judicial Board Officer.
            bama in Tuscaloosa, AL. Ms. Bell is pursuing a Bachelor      Rebecca B. Malone, Senior Academic Counselor
            of Fine Arts degree with a major in Graphic Design. She   and Mary Forrest's former middle school teacher at
            plans to use the scholarship to pursue her dreams of   Wilcox Academy, told APGA that she had the pleasure
            becoming a professional graphic designer after gradua-  of witnessing her "growth and maturation into an out-
            tion.                                              standing student and leader". Ms. Malone shared that
                                                               she believed Mary Forrest was "an exceptional member
                   Mary Forrest has been an active participant in   of the Class of 2023 and was active in all areas of life
            many activities for her former school, her church, and   while at Wilcox Academy: athletics, academics, and
            in her community that includes Camden and Wilcox   service." Of this activity, Ms. Malone went on to say,
            County.  At Wilcox Academy, Mary Forrest was a Class   "To be a successful student who is active in so many
            Reporter, Annual Staff Editor, Beta Club member, Senior   areas, Miss Bell has learned to multi-task, organize, and
            Beta Club Treasurer, Art Show Assistant, Honor Student,   effectively prepare for what she needs to do. She is a
            and even painted the Wilcox Academy Mural. Over the   person of high morals, is honest, and is a well-rounded
            years, Mary Forrest has been an active member of her   young woman who is respected by her peers as well as
            church and has even volunteered for Vacation Bible   her instructors.”
            School. In her community, Mary Forrest served as a Wil-
            cox Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassador. She also          Kristin C. Law, Associate Director of Black Belt
            partnered in several community art projects, designed   Treasures Cultural Art Center (BBTCAC), has known
            and painted Camden’s Welcome Home mural, painted   Mary Forrest for many years. First, as a very young art
            mini murals for the Quilt Trail as part of the Black Belt   student, then as a student at Camden United Meth-
            Treasures grant, and shared her love of art as a Gallery   odist Church Kid's Crossing and Sunday School classes,
            Associate at Black Belt Treasures Cultural Arts Center.   later as an employee at BBTCAC, and most recently as a
                                                               partner in several community art projects. Ms. Law told
                   Mary Forrest is currently enrolled at the   APGA that Mary Forrest has always shown competency
            University of Alabama, where she has a 4.0 GPA. Since   and talent in her artwork and lessons, and she has seen
            enrolling in school there, she has not slowed down her   her use these talents at school, in church, and in the
            pace and is active in many activities on campus. She   community where they are from. Ms. Law said, “Mary
            participated in the Freshman Forum; appeared on the



    12                                            Alabama Propane Gas Association  | July / August 2025
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