Dothan, Ala. (WDNews) — Students from Carver 9th Grade Academy and Dothan High School are set to compete for $25,000 in scholarships during the annual Mike Schmitz Automotive Group Challenge.
The event is a high-energy cornhole competition designed to reward students for attendance, academic progress, and college and career readiness. The final round is scheduled for April 28 at 8:30 a.m. at the Dothan High School Convocation Center.
More than 1,000 students qualified for the initial round this year by meeting key benchmarks tied to long-term academic success.
Students earned entries into the competition by reaching goals such as achieving 90%, 95%, or 100% attendance rates, completing the ACT or Pre-ACT 8/9, earning College and Career Readiness indicators, completing the FAFSA, and participating in career readiness opportunities.
The number of opportunities each student has in the competition depends on how many benchmarks they meet. Students earning three points receive one toss per round, four points earn two tosses, and five points earn three tosses.
The challenge was created by Mike Schmitz to encourage stronger attendance and improved academic performance. Since it began, both campuses have reported measurable gains in those areas.
Scholarship prizes include $10,000 for first place, $5,000 for second, $3,000 for third, and $1,000 awards for fourth through tenth place finishers.
