Southeast Gas recently announced its 2019 Give Back to Schools contribution of more than $125,000 to 20 public school systems in Alabama. 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.

Pike County Schools received an allocation of $6657, which will be divided for use at Pike County Elementary School and Pike County High School. Pike County Schools Superintendent Mark Bazzell worked with Southeast Gas Board Member and Brundidge City Councilman Chris Foster to coordinate the use for this year’s Give Back to Schools funds. PCES plans to purchase materials for the school’s summer STEM camp, including Dash and Dot Robots.

PCHS plans to use their funds for upgrades to student seating, tables and copier expenses.

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

“In many cases, these funds remain unrestricted, allowing each school to have maximum flexibility to use the dollars in whatever way necessary for that specific school system” said Southeast Gas Board Chair and Troy Mayor Jason Reeves. “This is our tenth year to provide dollars to our local schools through the Give Back to Schools initiative, and to date Southeast Gas has provided more than $1.3 million to these public schools.”

“Southeast Gas is deeply rooted in the communities it serves, and believes strongly that local schools are a critical component to community success,” said Southeast Gas President and CEO

Greg Henderson. In keeping with the company’s long-time commitment to community service and to local education, 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 are awarded to up to 22 students representing the 22 public high schools currently served by Southeast Gas. Scholarship recipients are announced April 12, and recognized at a luncheon hosted by Southeast Gas on April 25.

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 and 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 35 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.