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Parker’s Awards College Scholarships to Eight Exceptional High School Students

Parker’s President and CEO Greg Parker, center, recently honored Savannah Arts Academy valedictorian Andrew Royek, second from right, with a scholarship at the 2018 Outstanding Students Award Ceremony.
Parker’s President and CEO Greg Parker, center, recently honored Savannah Arts Academy valedictorian Andrew Royek, second from right, with a scholarship at the 2018 Outstanding Students Award Ceremony.

Parker’s recently hosted the 2018 Outstanding Students Award Ceremony, where Parker’s President and CEO Greg Parker presented scholarship checks and gifts to eight exceptional area high school students. Julia Butler, Chief Operating and Compliance Officer at The Fiduciary Group, served as the featured speaker for the event, which took place at the Parker’s headquarters in Savannah, Ga. on June 5.

“We’re really proud of you,” Parker told the students being honored. “You’re the best and the brightest, and are setting an example for other students. At Parker’s, we believe in the importance of education and in supporting future leaders in our community.”

Throughout the academic year, Parker’s has honored one outstanding student each month in Georgia or South Carolina for excellence in the classroom, in the community and in sports. A panel of judges carefully reviewed every nomination and identified the winners.

Savannah Arts Academy senior Andrew Royek, Bradwell Institute senior Dayle McCallar, St. Andrew’s senior Riley Stillwagon, Benedictine senior Nick Iannone, Jenkins High School senior Jessie Barre, Savannah Christian Preparatory School senior Nicholas Arrowood, Bluffton High School senior Lizzie Rhoads and New Hampstead High School senior Alexandria Shearer each received $1,000 scholarships and earned special recognition for their accomplishments.

Parker awarded an additional $1,000 academic scholarship to Royek, who will attend Williams College to study Economics and Mathematics in the fall, in recognition of his impressive academic, athletic and leadership achievements.

“It feels great to recognized by this outstanding group of people,” said Royek. “I’ve spent the last few years making sacrifices to accomplish what I have. It’s very satisfying to know that all my hard work is being recognized.”

In her address to the scholarship recipients, Julia Butler shared three keys to happiness. She told students to always innovate and improve, never stop learning and “look for the lift” to elevate others.

“Happiness is something you have to work for,” she said. “Your passions can produce great rewards.”

A strong supporter of education, Parker’s donates a portion of every gallon of gas sold on the first Wednesday of each month to area schools through the Fueling the Community program, which originally launched in 2011. PumpPal club members can select which school will receive the proceeds from their Fueling the Community gas purchase on the first Wednesday.

Parker’s has been ranked on Inc.’s elite list of the top 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. for four consecutive years. The company operates 53 convenience stores across Georgia and South Carolina, employs nearly 1,000 individuals throughout the region and completes more than 125,000 transactions daily.

ABOUT PARKER’S:

Parker’s is strategically redefining America’s convenience store industry, offering customers high-quality products, freshly prepared food and superior customer service at 53 retail stores throughout southeast Georgia and South Carolina. Headquartered in Savannah, Ga., Parker’s has a commitment to exceeding customer expectations and has repeatedly been recognized as one of the nation’s leading convenience store companies. Food service is a specialty, featuring Parker’s Kitchen favorites like hand-breaded Southern Fried Chicken Tenders, tender bone-in chicken, made-from-scratch mac ‘n’ cheese, a breakfast bar and daily specials. The company’s popular PumpPal loyalty program, which includes more than 150,000 members, has saved Parker’s customers more than $10 million to date.

Parker’s also gives back to every community where stores are located through the Fueling the Community Program, which donates a portion of the profit of every gallon of gas sold on the first Wednesday of the month to area schools. In addition, the company endows the Parker’s Emergency and Trauma Center at Memorial Hospital in Savannah, donates gas cards to benefit cancer patients and spearheads an Anti-Litter Campaign in Savannah. For more information about Parker’s, visit www.parkersav.com.

  • Top 10 U.S. Gas Station Brands – Gas Buddy
  • Best Convenience Store – Savannah Morning NewsReaders’ Choice Awards
  • Best Convenience Store – Savannah MagazineBest of Savannah Awards
  • Best Convenience Store – Statesboro Herald“Best in the ‘Boro” Awards
  • Best Convenience Store – Bryan County Now “Best of Bryan” Awards
  • Regional Economic Impact Award – Greater Bluffton Chamber of Commerce
  • Best Convenience Store – Island Packet
  • Most Fab Convenience Store – Effingham Herald
  • Keep Liberty Beautiful Award – Coastal Courier
  • Most Fabulous Gas Station – Effingham Living
  • Wayne County’s Favorite Convenience Store – Jesup Press-Sentinel
  • Citizen of the Year Award – Frank Callen Boys and Girls Club
  • Community Hero Award – 100 Black Men of Savannah