PEC awards record 85 scholarships to spotlight 85th milestone
Pedernales Electric Cooperative awarded scholarships to seven Highland Lakes high school students and two adult co-op members, including (clockwise from top left): Marble Falls High School students Emma Boerm and Mackenzie Farmer; Faith Academy of Marble Falls student Kara Kwan; homeschooled student Elizabeth Lilly of Marble Falls; co-op member Enrique Loredo of Marble Falls; and Burnet High School student Aedan McLennan. Not pictured are Gretchen Hanneman of Faith Academy, Jordan Jones of Marble Falls High School, and co-op member Taylor Clark of Marble Falls. Courtesy photos
In honor of Pedernales Electric Cooperative’s 85th anniversary of its incorporation to bring electricity to the Texas Hill Country, the member-owned co-op awarded 85 scholarships, including nine to Highland Lakes residents.
PEC was founded in 1938 by then-U.S. Rep. Lyndon B. Johnson, a Hill Country native. At the time, it served more than 385,000 member-owners in Central Texas.
“This year (2023), we received more scholarship applications than ever before — so we thought it fitting to commemorate PEC’s anniversary with a record number of awards,” said Celeste Mikeska, PEC community outreach specialist, in a May 24 media release. “We know this is one of the most impactful ways to show our community we care, and we’re overjoyed to play a part in shaping the learning and futures of these area students.
Scholarship amounts ranged from $1,000 to $3,500 and went to 73 high school students and 12 adult co-op members seeking to further their education for a total of $100,000. Since starting the program 23 years ago, PEC has provided more than $1.4 million in scholarships to students in its service area.
The money can be used to pay for expenses at any accredited university, college, junior college, technical school, or trade school.
A panel of independent judges evaluated nearly 500 applicants based on their academic performance, leadership, and financial need. They all submitted essays describing a time when they didn’t succeed and what they learned from the experience.
Highland Lakes recipients by city are:
MARBLE FALLS
- Emma Boerm, Marble Falls High School
- Taylor Clark, adult member
- Enrique Loredo, adult member
- Mackenzie Farmer, Marble Falls High School
- Gretchen Hanneman, Marble Falls High School
- Jordan Jones, Marble Falls High School
- Kara Kwan, Faith Academy of Marble Falls
- Elizabeth Lilly, homeschooled
BURNET
- Aedan McLennan, Burnet High School
Learn more about PEC’s scholarship program at pec.coop/scholarships.