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An Andalusia student and member of First Baptist Church Georgiana, Meleah Treadaway, continues the legacy of longtime Butler County educators Charles and Jo Williams and has been awarded the first Williams Scholarship for Higher Education.

She is the daughter of Angi Hicks and Marty Treadaway and has been awarded the $1,000 scholarship which was presented by the Williams family in honor of their parents, both of whom were educators. The award will help Treadaway with expenses as she pursues her educational goals at the University of Alabama (UA).

“Alabama is insanely expensive,” Treadaway said. “Everything has a price attached to it. So, the scholarship will help me establish myself on campus and be able to be involved and help cover the various fees that come with that.”

According to FBC Georgiana member Lisa Lowe, the Williams Scholarship is awarded annually to one candidate who meets academic criteria and garners the approval of an appointed committee.

“Jo Williams was a teacher for many years and Charles, her husband, was a coach in his early years and then a great support to her,” Lowe said. “The scholarship is to further [the recipient’s] education and goes directly to the college of their choice.”

Treadaway is a graduate of Andalusia High School. She was the Valedictorian and was a finalist for the National Merit Scholarship. 

Lowe said she served as SGA President and is a City of Andalusia Ambassador and also Program Aide for South Central Alabama Mental Health Center. 

“Meleah had so many scholarships and this will help with her incidentals,” Lowe said. “She is really sharp. She was number one in her class of 170 and she is an all-around well rounded young lady.”

Treadaway will be studying with the McCullough Institute for Pre-Medical Scholars, a program within the UA Honors College. She is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology and minoring in Spanish and interdisciplinary medical studies with the goal of attending medical school and eventually entering a career as a child psychiatrist.

She developed an interest in child psychiatry while working at the South-Central Alabama Mental Health Center, where her mother works.

“At first it was just a job, and then it turned into something more,” Treadaway said. “I didn’t realize how vast [children’s issues with mental health] were, that children you see every day might suffer from unimaginable stuff. So I decided to be a voice for those people.”