By Lonnie Tucker
Special to The SUN
To assist high school seniors and their parents with the application process for college scholarships available through La Plata Electric Association (LPEA), the cooperative will host a special scholarship open house Wednesday, Jan. 29, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at LPEA’s headquarters in Durango, 45 Stewart St.
LPEA staff members will be on-hand to answer any questions. No reservations are necessary and copies of all applications will be available.
All high school seniors, including home-school students, in LPEA’s service territory who receive their electricity from LPEA are eligible to apply for the variety of funding opportunities. The deadline for application is March 2. Attendance at the scholarship open house is not a requirement of application.
LPEA directly offers the LPEA Scholarship (four-year), LPEA/John Voelker Memorial Scholarship (two-year) and Lineman Scholarship for aspiring electric line workers, per LPEA Board of Directors policy 302. The co-op also provides for additional affiliated rural electric scholarships/awards offered by Tri-State Generation and Transmission and Basin Electric Power Cooperative.
Specifically, LPEA will award two four-year scholarships (140 credit hours) for students attending any college or university beginning with the 2020-2021 academic year. LPEA will cover tuition, books and fees, up to $28,000 over four years, given that the students maintain minimum qualifications.
The LPEA/John Voelker Memorial Scholarship recognizes two students attending accredited vocational schools, technical schools or junior college. This two-year scholarship covers fees, books, tools and supplies up to $10,000 over two years, per student.
The La Plata Electric Lineman Scholarship funds two annual scholarships covering tuition, fees and books, not to exceed $12,000 for each scholarship for up to one year at an accredited institution, including a vocational school, technical school, junior college or university in the United States, majoring in an electric line worker program. Any scholarship overage, following payment of tuition and fees, can be applied to purchase of tools and supplies required in the trade.
For further information and to download applications, visit www.lpea.coop or contact Jeannie Bennett at 382-3505 or jbennett@lpea.coop.
