Five high school seniors whose families are members of REC have been chosen to receive $1,000 college scholarships. The grants were awarded by the Education Scholarship Foundation of the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives (VMDAEC).
Three students received the Worth M. Hudson Scholarship, named for the first chairman of the VMDAEC Education Scholarship Foundation. The recipients are:
• Brian Dunn of Ruckersville, a student at William Monroe High School, Stanardsville
• Nhiya Dewer of Ruther Glen, a student at Caroline High School, Milford
• Sophia Adams of Madison, a student at Madison County High School
In addition, Aidan Huff and Alex Pomeroy each received a $1,000 Gertrude Winston Memorial Scholarship, given in memory of the mother of long-time REC board member Richard Oliver. Huff is a resident of Milford and attends Caroline High School. Pomeroy is a resident of Spotsylvania and attends Orange County High School.
“We commend these students on their outstanding academic achievements,” said Russell G. “Rusty” Brown, chair of the VMDAEC Education Scholarship Foundation Committee and vice chairman of the board of directors at Northern Neck Electric Cooperative. “Our electric cooperatives are delighted to provide support to these worthy students, as they represent a future generation of leaders in their communities.”
Recipients were chosen based on a competitive screening process that considers financial need, academic achievement and community involvement. Applicants must be a senior graduating from either high school or home school in 2020.
They must also provide evidence of their acceptance into a post-high school educational institution or program. These grants can be used to pay for tuition, fees and books.
This year, the Foundation awarded 57 Hudson scholarships to students who live in areas served by electric cooperatives in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. Since 2001, the Foundation has provided approximately 780 scholarships totaling more than $740,000 to aspiring college students as well as to the next generation of electric lineworkers.
The Foundation is funded through tax-deductible donations and bequests from individuals, proceeds from benefit fundraising events and CoBank’s Sharing Success Program.
