Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives announced on Apr. 14 the winners of its three annual scholarship contests: the Children of Members Scholarship, Children of Employees and Trustees Scholarship, and Trade School Scholarship. The organization said that students interviewed in this year’s contests “were outstanding and deserve congratulations on their accomplishments both personally and academically!”
The scholarships aim to support students from rural communities across Ohio as they pursue higher education or vocational training. These programs are part of ongoing efforts by Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives to promote community engagement through service-focused initiatives with local impact in rural areas, according to the official website.
For the Children of Members Scholarship, students from member households representing each Ohio-based electric distribution cooperative competed for $56,100 in awards. A panel of independent judges reviewed applications and conducted virtual interviews to determine the top ten recipients. All statewide finalists had previously advanced through local competitions before participating at the state level.
Winners included Hank Walters (Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative) who received first place with a $4,600 award; Haley McNaull (Firelands Electric Cooperative) placed second; Brogan Michael Weston (Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative) third; followed by Winnie Bodin (Logan County Electric Cooperative), Katelyn Libertoweski (Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative), Paige Gerhret (Darke Rural Electric Cooperative), Keanu Valdez (South Central Power Company), Parker Andrews (Frontier Power Company), Colin Tolle (Adams Rural Electric Cooperative), and Hunter Allison (Carroll Electric Cooperative). Fourteen additional students received honorable mentions with $1,900 scholarships each.
In the Children of Employees and Trustees category—open only to children or legal wards of employees or trustees at Ohio electric cooperatives—21 participants competed for up to $47,500 in available funds. Twelve top scholars were recognized with awards ranging from $2,500 to $3,400 while nine others earned honorable mention scholarships worth $1,000 each.
The Trade School Scholarship provided seven awards totaling up to $4,000 for members or their children pursuing technical or trade school education.
Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives coordinates operations from its headquarters in Columbus and delivers wholesale power along with related services through its network comprising 24 distribution cooperatives serving homes and businesses across Ohio according to the official website. The organization focuses on supplying stable, affordable power while supporting rural communities throughout various regions within the state as reported by its official site.
These annual scholarships reflect broader efforts by Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives to invest in educational opportunities for youth within its service areas—a strategy that aligns with its mission supporting reliable electric delivery alongside community development.
