A total of 129 Pearl River Community College students from throughout Pearl River Valley Electric Power Association’s 12-county service area are receiving scholarships of $800 to attend PRCC this year, thanks to the generous spirit and support of the Association’s member-consumers.
More than 200 students from throughout PRVEPA’s service area are receiving these scholarships to attend state community colleges.
This is the fifth year for the Round Up for Education scholar’s program, which is funded by members who round their bills up to the nearest dollar each month. Scholarships are available to members who do the round up, as well as for their spouses or dependent children who are enrolled as freshmen this fall.
“This is a phenomenal opportunity for Pearl River Community College students,” said Dr. Adam Breerwood, president of PRCC. “It is an accepted fact in today’s society that investment in higher education is one of the most significant investments a person will make in their lifetime.
“The opportunity that PRVEPA and its customer base are providing for students in its service area will provide untold dividends for generations to come. We are most grateful for the progressive leadership that PRVEPA has provided on this issue. It will make a difference in the lives of many students in the future and for our society in general.”
PRVEPA serves more than 49,000 meters. Since the Round Up program began in November 2012, more than $1 million has been collected and deposited in an account overseen by the Greater Pine Belt Community Foundation.
“Throughout our history, Pearl River Valley Electric has not only been providing electric service to rural areas, but working to improve the quality of life of our members and the communities where they live,” said General Manager Randy Wallace. “We believe that education is vital to improving the future for all of us in south Mississippi, and the Round Up program was designed to encourage more young people to further their education.
“Members working together to achieve a common goal is a unique hallmark of cooperative organizations, and I am proud of the positive response we’ve received on this effort. As we are now able to see, the accumulation of what would normally be spare change for an individual has added up significantly. These funds will help create long-term educational opportunities as well as economic benefits, which is good for everyone in the communities we serve.”
Ten percent of each year’s funds are set aside in an endowed fund for future use. The remaining money is divided equally between the number of eligible applicants, resulting this year in 240 scholarships worth $800 per student. In the program’s 5 years, more than 1,000 students have now received scholarships.
Scholarship recipients this year include 129 students attending Pearl River Community College, 45 at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, and 45 at Jones County Junior College. An additional 21 students are attending eight other state community colleges. Overall, students came from 21 different high schools and home school programs.
Round Up for Education funds collected after Aug. 1 go toward next year’s scholarships. Applications for 2018 scholarships will be available beginning this month.
Columbia Academy – Mathis James Armstrong, Aubrey Grace Bilbo, Wiley Cleland, Camaron Vince Havard, Madisyn A. Howell, Cassady Jones, Lauren Lee, Jacob Daniel Pierce, Calley Elizabeth Robbins, Kaitlyn Rogers, Colton Taylor Sandifer, Ashton Watts.
Columbia High School – Bailey Fornea, Jeni Garcia, Gillian May, Garrett Mieras, Bayle Miller, Nikendra Mingo, Kalonie Simon, Tia Sims, Luis Smith, Christina Jade Swayze, Kistan Alexandra Thackwray.
East Marion High School – Charles Garrett Dakota Bass, Layken Carney, Tyas Owens, Tysah Rena Owens, Joleeza Tatyana Pope, Jeremiah Taylor, Malik Willis, Julia Wilson.
Forrest County AHS – Tyler Austin, Kalyn Danielle Beall, Austin Breland, Michael Branson Clark, James Corley, Rylee Veronica Essary, Taylor Blake Evans, Kyle L. Farmer, Christopher Dalton Hartfield, William Everest Kohli, Luke A. Lee, Rebecca Lewis, Jackson Mapp, Taylor Martin, Summer McInnis, Michael Edward Pascarella, Haley Rogers, Christian Hayden Rushing, Kylie Terrell, Ashley Terry, Destini Trahan.
G.E.D. – Rylee Johnson.
Home School – Emily Branan.
Lumberton High School – TaMya Bush, Rachel Engle, Micah Jenkins.
Northeast, MD. – Selena Lorden.
Oak Grove High School – Chloe K. Anderson, Marc Tyler Bullock, Max Crawford, William Tyler Goolsby, Kiahya Alese Heard, Michael Joshua Hobson, Jacob Parchert, Taylor A. Ramsey, Grace Sanders, Danin Drew Traylor, Natalie Woo, Nikeyah Youongblood.
Poplarville High School – Alex Cooley, Emma Cooley.
Purvis High School – Haley Abney, Charlie Burge, Sophia Dilmore, Jack Richard Dilmore III, Daniel Kaide Griffis, Jacob Lynn Hagan, Nathan Hartfield, Summer Kelly, Jennifer Klages, Presleigh Kleinke, William Masters, John David O’Brian III, Penelope Anne Richardson, Calvin Chase Smith, Jonathan W. Summers, Cameron Swan, Jessica Swan, Cooper Varnado, Blake Vincent, Joshua D. Worbington.
Sacred Heart School – Jonathan J. Lee.
Stone High School – Cameryn Whitney Jones, Shelbi Elaine Lawrence, D’Artagnan Lee, Alisha R. Moody, Sarah Kay Nations, Frederick Wegner III.
Sumrall High School – Taylor Bass, Victor Matthew Brantly, Hannah Broom, Kalyn Davis, Brittany Kaye Farve, Tamara Gurley, Michael Montgomery, Allison N. Pickett, Dalen Alex Pierce, Kaley Piernas, Alec Brannon Ready, William Blake Rogers, Kyle Stringer, Bree Ulmer.
West Marion High School – Bryson Clark, Nicole Crump, Rachel Lynette Davis, Caitlin Forbes, Brittany Hunt, Alexica J. Magee, Garry B. Martin, Laken L. Patrick, Zachary Tyler Pittman, Ronnie “Dawson” Robbins, Jasmine N. Rosado, Trevor Slocum, Braxton A. Smith, Terrie Louise Teston, Carly Noelle Thornhill, Abby Williamson.
