Escambia County High School graduate Imari Lemon has been named Escambia County’s recipient in the inaugural Community Scholars Program from the Alabama Power Foundation — a one-time $2,500 scholarship she will use at the University of Alabama this fall, where she plans to pursue a degree in exercise science.
Lemon graduated from ECHS in Atmore in May 2026, capping a high school career that stood out for academic achievement and community involvement.
A Scholarship for Every County
The Alabama Power Foundation launched the Community Scholars Program in April 2026 with a simple but ambitious structure: one scholarship in each of the 59 counties in Alabama Power’s service territory. Eligibility is open to high school seniors who demonstrated academic achievement, leadership and a commitment to their communities.
The foundation partnered with Scholarship America, the nation’s largest scholarship administrator, to manage the program. Scholarship America reviewed more than 1,000 applications, weighing academic performance, leadership and participation in school and community activities, work experience and personal circumstances.
‘Potential Exists in Every Corner of Alabama’
“The Community Scholarship Program reflects our belief potential exists in every corner of Alabama,” said Alabama Power Foundation President Staci Brown Brooks. “We are proud to invest in students across our service territory whose leadership and talent will shape the future.”
For Atmore and Escambia County, Lemon’s selection adds to a growing list of academic honors for the rural county’s schools, and her path into exercise science aligns with one of the fastest-growing health-care fields in the state. She is expected to begin classes in Tuscaloosa this fall as a member of the university’s Class of 2030.
The Community Scholars Program is one of several scholarship initiatives the Alabama Power Foundation operates for students across the state, complementing its broader investments in education, workforce development and community vitality.