Two students in the Prince George Electric Cooperative service area have earned $1,000 college scholarships awarded by the Education Scholarship Foundation of the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives.

The recipients are:

• Jacob Matthews of Disputanta, who attends Matthews Academy.
• Amanda Harris, of Disputanta, who attends Prince George High School.

The students were eligible for consideration because their parents are consumer-members of Prince George Electric Cooperative.

“We commend these students on their outstanding academic achievements,” said Russell G. “Rusty” Brown, chair of the VMDAEC Education Scholarship Foundation Committee and vice chairman of the board of directors at Northern Neck Electric Cooperative. “Our electric cooperatives are delighted to provide support to these worthy students, as they represent a future generation of leaders in their communities.”

Recipients were chosen based on a competitive screening process that considers financial need (40 percent), academic achievement (40 percent) and community involvement (20 percent). Applicants must be a senior graduating from either high school or home school in 2020.

They must also provide evidence of their acceptance into a post-high school educational institution or program. These grants can be used to pay for tuition, fees and books.

This year, the Foundation awarded 57 Worth Hudson scholarships of $1,000 each to students who live in areas served by electric cooperatives in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. The scholarships are named in honor of Hudson, the Foundation’s first chairman.

Since 2001, the Foundation has provided approximately 780 scholarships totaling more than $740,000 to aspiring college students as well as to the next generation of electric lineworkers.

The Foundation is funded through tax-deductible donations and bequests from individuals, proceeds from benefit fundraising events and CoBank’s Sharing Success Program.