NEWSROOM

68 Ventures Bowl Community Awards Banquet Honors 21 Students & Unveils 28th Annual Program Cover

MOBILE, Ala (April 30, 2026) – This evening, the 68 Ventures Bowl proudly recognized the winners of the 2025-2026 scholarship winners, the 2026 art competition winners and officially revealed the cover of the 28th Annual 68 Ventures Bowl Game Program.

After successfully reinstating the 68 Ventures Bowl Scholarship Program last year through a partnership with Anchor Cares, the Bowl is proud to be able to expand the program. Through new partnerships with R.J. Baggett Inc., The Hargrove Foundation, and C Spire, the bowl awarded a total of eight students with scholarships totaling $6,500.

Anchor Cares Scholarship
Anchor Cares teamed up with the 68 Ventures Bowl for a second year to aid in our Scholarship Program. The program awards a $500 scholarship to two Mobile/Baldwin County high school seniors that are involved in the school, the community, and/or had to overcome an obstacle that has affected their life in some way.

Anchor Cares Scholarship Recipients: Landon Baity Sarland High School and Portia Hollis Gulf Shores High School.

J. Baggett Inc Scholarship
The 68 Ventures Bowl welcomed R. J. Baggett Inc to the scholarship program this year. RJB is sponsoring an additional scholarship of $1,000 to be awarded to a high school senior in Mobile or Baldwin Counties who has demonstrated exemplary leadership both inside and outside the classroom.

J. Baggett Inc Scholarship Recipient: Abigail Landry Fairhope High School.

Hargrove Foundation STEM Scholarship
The Hargrove Foundation joined the 68 Ventures Bowl Scholarship program this year by committing a total of $2,500 in new scholarship funding. The Hargrove Foundation Scholarships will consist of two scholarships of $1,250 that will be awarded to students that are pursuing careers in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.

Hargrove Foundation Scholarship Recipients: Farah Hujier Davidson High School and Dane Spradlin Saraland High School.

C Spire STEM Scholarship
C Spire is a long-time supporter of the Bowl, and had previously been a partner in the Bowl’s scholarship program. This past year, C Spire renewed their participation in the scholarship program by sponsoring a $1,000 scholarship. This scholarship will be awarded to a student who intends to further their studies in a STEM related field.

C Spire STEM Scholarship Recipient: Skylar Courtney UMS-Wright.

Douglas Whitmore Steward Partners Scholarship
The Douglas Whitmore Scholarship presented by Steward Partners joined the 68 Ventures Bowl Scholarship Program by sponsoring two $500 scholarships. Their scholarships are designed to empower Mobile youth by providing the opportunity to succeed in higher education.

Douglas Whitmore Steward Partners Scholarship Recipients: Brantley Erwin UMS-Wright and Jermya Lee Baker High School.

 

2026 Art Competition

Out of more than 150 submissions from middle and high school students across Mobile and Baldwin Counties, 13 exceptional pieces were selected as finalists in this year’s competition.

The theme for the 2026 contest, “Historic Sites Of Mobile,” encouraged students to capture the rich culture, history, and attractions of the Mobile area. Submissions depicted a variety of iconic subjects, including Mardi Gras, downtown architecture, the USS Alabama, and more.

Finalists were determined by a panel of judges, with the final program cover chosen through public voting on the Bowl’s social media platforms. This year’s winning cover artwork was created by Maisyn James of Barton Academy. In addition to finalist honors, Maisyn received an extra cash award for her artwork being selected as the official 68 Ventures Bowl program cover.

All placing students and honorable mentions received cash awards, Bowl game tickets, and prizes. Furthermore, 1st through 3rd place winners in each category secured additional cash prizes for their respective school art programs.

2026 Art Competition Winners

6th–8th Grade Category

  • 1st Place: Maisyn James, Barton Academy
  • 2nd Place: Zoe Parido, Barton Academy
  • 3rd Place: Copeland Brown, Causey Middle School
  • Honorable Mentions: Aiva Agato, Barton Academy; Natalia Gonzales-Morales, Clak Shaw Magnet School

9th–10th Grade Category

  • 1st Place: Marley Conner, Barton Academy
  • 2nd Place: Caylyn McRae, Mobile Christian
  • 3rd Place: Elizabeth Jones, Barton Academy
  • Honorable Mentions: Christopher Chea, Theodore High School

11th–12th Grade Category

  • 1st Place: Zariah Haque, Davidson High School
  • 2nd Place: Evania Murphy, Saraland High School
  • 3rd Place: Logan Otero, Theodore High School
  • Honorable Mentions: Rayna Darawich, Saraland High School

This year, the 68 Ventures Bowl contributed a total of $3,000 to support student artists and school art programs. Since the competition’s inception in 2007, a cumulative $37,800 has been awarded to local schools through this initiative.

###