Pedernales Electric Cooperative awarded $100,000 in scholarships to 39 outstanding students, including four from Dripping Springs High School.
Ten high school students received awards for $2,750, while another 25 received $2,500 awards. Additionally, four PEC members seeking to advance their education as adults also received $2,500 awards.
Dripping Springs recipients included: Audrey Balsdon, Dominic Gearing, Weston Kirk and Arysta Visser. Each DSHS student received a $2,500 award.
Students may use their PEC scholarship funds to pay for expenses at any accredited university, college, junior college, technical school, or trade school.
Applicants submitted essays describing what personal characteristics they believe will make them successful in college. A panel of independent judges evaluated more than 430 applicants based on their academic performance, leadership, and financial need. Since beginning the program 22 years ago, PEC has provided more than $1.3 million in scholarships to area students.
“It’s an incredibly rewarding feeling to be able to contribute to our communities through our scholarship program,” said Celeste Mikeska, PEC community outreach specialist. “We’re proud to be part of such an impactful cause, one that has the potential to positively shape generations of families and communities in the area,” said Mikeska.
PEC’s history of supporting local students through scholarships spans more than two decades and highlights our commitment to the communities we serve. To learn more about PEC’s scholarship program, visit pec.coop/scholarships.