Regan Sikes of Pierce County High School was one of the recipients of the four-year scholarship of $1000 per year by legendary Coach Vince Dooley on May 7, 2016 at a lunch ceremony held at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. Nearly 500 student-athletes and guests attended the event which featured inspirational messages from Coach Dooley, ABW Founder/President Fred Northup, and Carror Wright of the Georgia High School Association. All guests enjoyed a self-guided tour of the Hall, compliments of the Chick-fil-A Foundation. The Scott Hudgens Foundation was once again the Presenting Sponsor for the event.
Ms. Sikes distinguished herself in and out of the classroom by achieving a 4.0 average while lettering in tennis, track, and softball, the latter pursuit earning her Player of the Year honors in Region 1AAA. Regan participates in CureSearch cancer walks, mission trips to the Dominican Republic, Special Olympics, and Sycamore Tree for those in need. She was elected Class President, is Secretary of the First Southern Bank Junior Board of Directors, and was chosen to be a delegate for the REMC Washington DC Youth Tour. Regan selected Mattie's Mission in Waycross, Georgia as her recipient of a $500 donation from Athletes for a Better World as a part of the Dooley Scholarship. She will attend Armstrong Atlantic University.
The 2016 Scholarship Finalists were:
Male Finalists
David Brittingham, North Cobb Christian School
Jared Brown, Jefferson High School
Tyler Harper, Wesleyan School
Ian Hentenaar, Winder-Barrow High School
Alex Herndon, Calvary Day School
Will McCormick, First Presbyterian Day School
Emory McKenzie, Westover High School
Jordan McKinney, Dalton High School
Jack McRae III, Grace Christian Academy
Tyler Messer, Peach County High School
Female Finalists
Lauren Colston, Landmark Christian School
Harley Dawson, Long County High School
Sydney Hutto, Greenbrier High School
Mia Lester, Warren County High School
Calli McMullen, Georgia Military College Prep School
Ally Parker, Stratford Academy
Shania Reeves, Callaway High School
Jaclyn Regnery, Etowah High School
Sarah Roon, Archer High School
Regan Sikes, Pierce County High School
The complete listing of all 2016 Dooley Award high school recipients may be found at
www.abw.org.
About the Dooley Awards and Scholarships
The Vincent J. Dooley Awards and Scholarships are presented annually by Athletes for a Better World (ABW). Each year, every high school in Georgia is invited to select one male and one female senior athlete to receive the Vincent J. Dooley Award. The award recipients are chosen for their distinguished individual character, outstanding teamwork, and citizenship. The recipients of the Dooley Awards in every high school are eligible to become candidates for the Vincent J. Dooley Scholarship - - a four year, $1,000 per year, college scholarship for one male and one female athlete, plus a one-time $500 donation to the selected charity of each of the two scholarship recipients.
The award recipients who choose to compete for the scholarship complete an online process and are reviewed by a selection committee, who choose 10 boys and 10 girls as Finalists for the Dooley Scholarship. The Dooley Scholarship is then presented to one male and one female athlete. All award recipients as well as finalists for the scholarships are invited to a luncheon to receive their awards.
The purpose of the awards and scholarships is to call attention to the high esteem in which the values of hard work, sportsmanship, and community service are held, so that they may become a stronger part of the ethos of participation in Georgia high school sports. In order to receive the Dooley Award, an athlete must:
Train with a disciplined, consistent work ethic
Demonstrate fair play and superior sportsmanship
Develop positive, supportive relationships with teammates and coaches
Win or lose with grace and dignity
Make a significant difference in their community and world.
About Athletes for a Better World
Founded in 1998, the mission of Athletes for a Better World is to use sports to develop character, teamwork, and citizenship through commitment to an athletic “Code for Living” that applies to life, and to create a movement that will play a significant role in the transformation of individuals, sports, and society. In addition to the Dooley Awards and Scholarships, ABW also awards the Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup, given each year to a professional and collegiate athlete chosen from all sports across the country who have demonstrated the highest level of character and leadership on and off the field, and for their contributions to sport and society as exemplified in the “Code for Living.”
The Code for Living
Because I am a role model and have the opportunity and responsibility to make a difference in the lives of others, I commit to this Code. I will take responsibility and appropriate actions when I fail to live up to it.
As an Individual:
I will develop my skills to the best of my ability and give my best effort in practice and competition.
I will compete within the spirit and letter of the rules of my sport.
I will respect the dignity of every human being, and will not be abusive or dehumanizing of anyone either as an athlete or as a fan.
As a Member of a Team:
I will place team goals ahead of personal goals.
I will be a positive influence on the relationships on the team.
I will follow the team rules established by the coach.
As a Member of Society:
I will display caring and honorable behavior off the field and be a positive influence in my community and world.
I will give of my time, skills, and money as I am able for the betterment of my community and world.
