A Twitter-savvy 17-year-old from Long Beach, Calif., will follow the path of higher education courtesy of the KFC Colonel’s Scholars program.
Amanda Russell, a senior at Long Beach Polytechnic High School, earned $20,000 in KFC’s most recent promotion. The contest’s main stipulation was to sum up award worthiness in a single, 140-character tweet that included the hashtag #KFCScholar.
Russell’s winning tweet was "#KFCScholar Hey Colonel! Your scholarship's the secret ingredient missing from my recipe for success! Got the grades, drive, just need cash!"
There were more than 2,800 Twitter applicants vying for the scholarship money, with messages such as "#KFCScholar If you give a girl a drumstick, she’ll want wings. Give her wings, she’ll get a degree, take flight, and change the world” and "1st to go to college in my Family. KFC can be the 1st to change my future. Being the victorious #KFCScholar will feel S-O G-DOUBLE-O-D Good!"
Entries were judged on creativity, entrepreneurial drive and desire to attend college.
"With such an overwhelming response, the judging was extremely difficult," said John Cywinski, chief marketing and food innovation officer for KFC. "While all entrants exemplified what it means to be a Colonel's Scholar, Amanda displayed a combination of wit and drive that clearly stood out. We are very proud that she is our newest Scholar."
Russell, the daughter of Michael and Anne Russell, maintains a 3.9 GPA and is a member of her school’s swim team and a volunteer at the Aquarium of the Pacific. She is considering a medical career and is still weighing which school to attend in California in the fall.
Russell is eligible to receive up to $5,000 each year for the next four years to pursue a bachelor’s degree at an in-state institution.
The application process for the remaining 74 Colonel’s Scholar scholarships remains open through Feb. 9. Details are available online.
The KFC Colonel’s Scholars program is now in its fifth year and is an independent charity supported by KFC. It has awarded more than $5 million in scholarships since its inception.
