San Patricio Electric Cooperative awarded 20 scholarships, worth $5,000 each, to area students who will pursue a higher education in the fall. Five of these scholarships were reserved for students who plan to pursue a vocational or technical trade.  The remaining 15 scholarships were awarded to students planning to pursue a degree at a college or university. Recipients were selected by an independent scholarship committee who evaluated applications based on leadership abilities, community involvement, academic achievement and financial need.

The award is paid over four semesters, provided the student meets the standards established for the scholarship program. Each semester, the student must submit records showing they have successfully completed a full course load (12 hours or more), are enrolled as a full-time student for the upcoming semester and have maintained a GPA of 2.5 or greater. The scholarship program, made possible through the San Patricio Electric Education Trust, is open to high school seniors in the SPEC’s nine-county service area. To be eligible, students must be enrolled at an area high school or in a non-traditional education setting, such as homeschooling. In addition, the student’s parents or guardians must be members of the cooperative.

The recipients for SPEC’s 2016 scholarship are as follows: 

Alyssa Kelley, George West HS

Anthony McGuill, Refugio HS

Colton Russell, A.C. Jones HS

David Kaase, George West HS

Derrick Staples, Pettus HS

Emily Carabajal, A.C. Jones HS

Frank Russell, Calallen Charter HS

Hunter Hosek, Orange Grove HS

Jacob Kaase, George West HS

Jonathon Ortiz, Orange Grove HS

Kenneth Moore II, Refugio HS

Margret Downing, A.C. Jones HS

McKenzie Israel, Sinton HS

Miranda Cardenas, A.C. Jones HS

Oscar Lara, Sinton HS

Pedro Vela, Jr. (T.J.), Odem HS

Stephanie Janysek, Sinton HS

Sydney Baker, Skidmore-Tynan HS

Tyler Mixon, George West HS

Wyatt Scott, Skidmore-Tynan HS