Madison Bunch, 18, has maintained a 4.0 grade point average and spent 1,136 hours during her high school years giving back to the community as a volunteer.

And her hard work has paid off.

She was one of three students in Georgia who was awarded the Comcast Founders Scholarship, which is “given in honor of Ralph J. Roberts, founder and chairman Emeritus of Comcast Corporation, ” according to Matt Scofield of Comcast.

The company provides for a $5,000 scholarship and among 66 Georgia high school seniors to receive a $1,000 Comcast leadership scholarship.

“My family isn’t really able to pay for college and I have always wanted to be able to pay on my own,” Bunch said. “I have always tried and this helps because it’s a thousand dollars I don’t have to come up with for school.”

She will attend school at the University of Georgia this fall.

Bunch said she has received numerous other scholarships for her academic achievements and community service this year, and to name a few, she has received a Tommy Brown Bulldog scholarship, a local, state and national Elks Club scholarship, Saxon, Gordon County Chamber of Commerce scholarship and a Kiwanis Club scholarship.

“I feel like Calhoun has given so much to me. I’ve been a part of a great school system my whole life and it’s a great school system,” she said. “A great part about Calhoun.”

Growing up with a sense of pride in her community, Bunch spent her younger years attending Yellow Jackets football games and dreaming of twirling as a majorette.

During her senior year she was named head majorette, where she took on leadership responsibilities.

“(For the scholarship) I wrote about being a majorette and twirling camp. I couldn’t count it as community service since it was a fundraiser, but I feel like it helped me,” she said.

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“I think community service is extremely important. I’ve worked for Toys for Tots and that’s made me realize my life isn’t so bad and when you help others it really makes you feel good.”

-Madison Bunch

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Community service activities including volunteering at the local polls during election time, playing piano at her church and service activities with Beta Club and National Honors Society.