LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — This year, 500 restaurant employees at KFC® restaurants across the country will receive over $1.2 million in college tuition assistance from the Kentucky Fried Chicken Foundation thanks to KFC Franchisees, including Presque Isle’s own Milton and Derik Smith, and the KFC Corporation.
Through a competitive selection process, Presque Isle resident Macy Pyres was chosen as a winner via the REACH Educational Grant Program® and will receive $2,000, for the 2017-18 academic year.
The REACH Program helps KFC U.S. restaurant employees pursue their educational dreams at four-year and two-year colleges, including trade/vocational and graduate schools.
Macy Pyres is 2017 graduate at Presque Isle High School. She is on the high honor roll, and is a member of the National Honor Society. She has been a manager for the varsity girls basketball team for the past two years. She has been working for KFC for two years, and is also employed at Presque Isle Pharmacy. Macy is very involved in many clubs and sports at Presque Isle High School. Some include: Youth in Government, Outdoor Club, basketball, Science Olympiad, and Dirigo Girls State. Macy will be attending the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia in the fall. She will be studying Biochemistry and molecular biology.
“Macy is the kind of young adult you love to see come through the door, looking for a job,” stated Franchisee, Derik Smith. “She’s smart, motivated, and not afraid of hard work.”
The program takes inspiration from Colonel Harland Sanders and his passion for helping people be their best selves through education. “The KFC Family has a long and rich history of philanthropy,” said Krista Snider, managing director of the Foundation. “We’re proud to be able to honor the Colonel’s legacy and help this inspiring, hard-working group of students.”
