Scholarships from Atlanta Track Club Foundation Help Pave the Way to College

Each year, Atlanta Track Club Foundation, in collaboration with the Atlanta Youth Running Foundation, awards the $10,000 Patty Foell Scholarship to a female graduating high school senior who competes in cross country and/or track and field in the metro Atlanta area, as well as a $10,000 Hawthorne Wesley Scholarship, named after a founder of Atlanta Track Club, to a male graduating senior in the sport.

Foell, who was a well-known member of Atlanta Track Club's Competitive team and frequent winner of local races, passed away in 2005 at the age of 43 when she was struck by a car while out for a run.

The 2023 Patty Foell Scholarship recipient is Elizabeth Shaylor, who just a few months ago graduated from North Cobb Christian School. While a student there, she maintained a 4.0+ GPA throughout high school and was honored as a Distinguished Scholar, Class of 2023 Top 10 Graduating Student, National Honor Society member, and MDJ (Marietta Daily Journal) Scholar-Athlete. In addition, she accumulated more than 200 hours of community service with her church, MUST Ministries, and Samaritan's Purse.

Inspired by her family's passion for running, Shaylor began running in middle school. This led to her competing in high school in the mile and 3,200 meters, for which she set the school record in 2021. Among her other achievements, Shaylor also became All-American at the 2021 AAU National Championships, placed 5th at the 2021 GHSA State Cross Country Championships and was runner-up in the 3,200 meters at the 2022 GHSA State Championships.

Her success did not come without challenges, including a hip injury.

"I had high hopes for my senior year, because it was my last year in high school, but I got injured during track season," she said. "I was able to come back at the end of the season and race in regional and state. This was super inspiring because this was part of the season when I didn't think I would be able to run for the rest of the year. It was difficult to overcome but I was able to push through and have a fulfilling experience."

News that she was the Patty Foell Scholarship winner couldn't have come at a better time for Shaylor, now a student- athlete at Charleston Southern University majoring in kinesiology with plans to become a physical therapist.

"This financial support will help tremendously because I don't have to worry much about paying for the rest of my college and this will help relieve stress, because my parents are also supporting my siblings through college," said Shaylor.

Atlanta Track Club Foundation is currently fundraising to continue providing scholarships and funding community programs such as Kilometer Kids and the Atlanta Public Schools partnership, Atlanta Track Club's Olympic Development Team and more. If you'd like to donate to the Foundation for Giving Tuesday and beyond, click here.