Juniors Brody Wallis and Jacob Beavert from Allen High School and Anthony White from Ada High School have been chosen to receive a $2,000 scholarship to the college or vocational school of their choice.
For more than 50 years, PEC has been proud to participate in the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s (NRECA) Youth Tour program. Since 1964, PEC has sent 101 local student delegates on the all-expenses-paid trip to Washington D.C. Once the delegates are selected, the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives (OAEC) coordinates the week-long trip as they join approximately 1,500 students from electric cooperatives across the country.
But not this year. The reason: the coronavirus pandemic. Just as the 2020 Youth Tour trip was cancelled, the upcoming 2021 Youth Tour has been cancelled also due to COVID-19. In its place, high school juniors throughout our service area had the opportunity to continue to learn about rural electrification all the while competing to win one of three $2,000 scholarships.
“PEC is excited at this year’s level of participation in our Youth Tour program,” said PEC Executive Vice President and CEO Kevin Wood. “This is an impressive group of students and I have no doubt that any of them are deserving of these scholarships. The judges have a tough job ahead of them.”
During February, 85 students sat for a written test over materials about rural electrification. At the conclusion of the testing dates, an invitation was extended to the students receiving the top 10 scores on the test in order to compete in a final virtual interview competition. PEC’s three scholarship recipients Wallis, Beavert, and White were selected by a panel of judges based on their poise, originality, and personality during their personal interviews.
Finalists
Also representing their respective schools in the interview portion of the contest were the following finalists:
- Kaylee DeAngelis, Byng High School
- Presley Driskill, Byng High School
- Sarah Hall, Coalgate High School
- Taylor Pearce, Epic Charter School
- Destiny Raines, Vanoss High School
- Brynn Savage, Stratford High School
- Jackson ‘Ty’ Wilson, Byng High School
About the Winners
Brody Wallis
Brody Wallis of Allen High School plans to attend college either at Eastern Oklahoma State College or Oklahoma State University. Brody is involved in FFA and has learned how to meet new people and set himself up for a successful career because of FFA. He also serves on the student council at Allen and has learned that a little community service goes a long way to help people that are well deserving. Brody is also involved in playing football for Allen High School, which has taught him to never give up and keep working hard to see great results even though you lose games sometimes. He is the son of Chris and Amanda Wallis.
Jacob Beavert
Jacob Beavert of Allen High School plans to attend Oklahoma State University and acquire an electrical engineering degree. He has maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout his entire school career and enjoys history, geometry, and chemistry. Jacob enjoys rodeo and basketball in his free time. He values family and friends very much as they are the components to a happy life. He is the son of Winston Beavert.
Anthony White
Anthony White of Ada High School is a very disciplined, hard-working individual who is always looking to improve himself academically, spiritually, mentally, and physically. His favorite subjects are math and history. Outside of school, Anthony enjoys working out, spending time with his family and dogs, and watching Hulu/Netflix. Both his family and his faith are easily the most important things in his life, and he looks to honor them each and every single day. He is the son of Miriam and Scott White.
Youth Tour Contest
Each year, PEC’s Youth Tour contest is open to 11th grade students enrolled in school (or homeschool) systems located in one of the 11 counties served by PEC. For more information about PEC’s Youth Tour program or other programs available at People’s Electric Cooperative, please contact Jennifer Boeck at (580) 332-3031.