Students at Hartselle and Morgan County Schools continue to excel in their studies and extracurricular activities in spite of the fact that we’re living at a time when our nation is getting deeper in debt and education dollars are stretched to the breaking point.

At Hartselle High School’s recent Honors Day Program, 76 members of the 2012 senior class received college scholarship offers. More than 20 colleges and universities were involved and the offers they and other scholarship foundations made were valued at more than $2.5 million. Furthermore, other scholarships will be offered before college classes resume in August.

A bonanza of scholarship offers is nothing new at Hartselle High. In recent years, the amount has reached an astounding $3.5 million. This is a testament not only to students pushing themselves to excel in pursuit of higher education and career goals but to an administration and staff that bends over backwards to create and offer higher challenges to the students they teach.

Lilkewise, Morgan County schools push their students to take full advantage of the educational opportunities available to them.

Extraordinary achievement in vocational education in county schools was recognized last Thursday at the 23rd annual Career/Technical Awards Night at Brewer High School. Sponsored by the Morgan County Career/Technical Advisory Council, the dinner event attracted more than 250 people and featured the presentation of special awards and college and vocational training scholarships to 140 students from junior high and high schools in the Morgan County School District.

The Advisory Council, which is headed by Hartselle farmer Hal Lee, raised $7,000, most of which was used to fund eight scholarships. These awards were given to students who demonstrated high achievement in courses such as Agriscience, Family and Consumer Sciences, Marketing Education and Healthcare Professions.

Obviously, schools in Hartselle and Morgan County are doing an exceptional job of preparing their students for the future. Hopefully, the economy will be back on track when they complete their education and training and are ready to enter the workforce.