It pays to study your Bible and learn how to articulate its truths. Just ask Amber Cheung, this year’s winner of the State Speakers Tournament for youth. Through winning the tournament, Cheung should receive enough aid in scholarships to have her college tuition completely funded.
The office of discipleship and family ministries of the Alabama State Board of Missions (SBOM) has long encouraged youth toward Bible study by annually awarding winners of State Bible Drills and Speakers Tournament scholarships to designated state Baptist colleges, including Samford University, the University of Mobile and Judson College.
But this year the office got a boost from The Baptist Foundation of Alabama (TBFA), making the payoff even more lucrative for winners in the Speakers Tournament. The Baptist Foundation is partnering with the office to provide an additional $2,300 to increase the scholarship from the $700 contributed by the state convention to $3,000.
George King, vice president for administration, said when the Foundation was approached by Sonya Tucker, associate in the office of discipleship and family ministries, about a possible contribution, Foundation President Barry Bledsoe suggested, “‘Let’s make it worthwhile.’” The scholarship is renewable annually for a possible $12,000 total.
Baptist colleges contribute
In addition to designating Foundation funds for this use, King also contacted administrators at Judson College, Samford University and the University of Mobile to see if they, too, would raise the stakes. In previous years the institutions had matched the $700 scholarships for students to use at their institutions. All three institutions responded positively to the challenge.
Judson College now offers the Speakers Tournament winner an annual renewable scholarship for $5,150. Combined with the SBOM/TBFA scholarships, winners may be awarded $32,600.
Samford University offered an annual renewable scholarship for $3,000, or a possible $12,000 for four years. Combined with the SBOM/BFA award it amounts to $24,000.
The University of Mobile has agreed to provide the rest of the freshman tuition above the $3,000 awarded by the SBOM / TBFA, up to a possible $9,000. That makes up $18,000 over the four years.
“That’s the spirit behind all this,” said King, who was on hand at this year’s State Speakers Tournament May 3 to personally award the scholarships to Cheung. Cheung, who spoke on “Words Can Hurt or Heal,” rose from the ranks of 12 participants in district drills to win the state competition. She had already named Judson as her school of choice.
Jessica Hyatt, Southside Baptist Church in Greenville, took second place, and Nicole Last, Moulton Baptist Church, placed third.
Speakers must prepare a four- to six-minute speech using Scripture and deliver it without notes during the tournament.
Cheung, West End Baptist Church, Aliceville, will compete in the National Speakers Tournament June 13 in Atlanta.
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