2023 PRECO Scholarship Recipients

Posted: May 15, 2023 at 10:23 am

Operation Round Up, Peace River Electric Cooperative’s charitable foundation, granted $106,000 in college scholarships to 23 local students in 14 schools and colleges. Since its launch in 2005, Operation Round Up has provided 257 college scholarships amounting to more than $1.2 million in the cooperative’s 10-county service area.

“The charitable foundation is pleased to help bolster our local community by supporting hardworking, determined students,” says Ellen Hamel, Operation Round Up board chairperson. “We hope that many of these students will return to this area someday and use their education and talents to serve others.”

To be eligible, student applicants must reside in a home served by PRECO, maintain good grades, be active in the community and submit an essay describing their life, career and educational goals.

Funding for Operation Round Up comes from the voluntary donations of PRECO’s member-consumers who allow their monthly electric bills to be “rounded up” to the next dollar. Funds collected are used to help local families and organizations with food, shelter, clothing, health, and education needs.

Learn more about Operation Round Up.

View Student Photos.

2023 Scholarship Recipients by School
1 Yencik, Michael Cardinal Mooney CHS  $            8,000
2 Jurado, Jaqueline Hardee HS  $            8,000
3 Alderman, Karlie Hardee HS  $            4,000
4 Hernandez-Santiago, Magdalena Hardee HS  $            1,000
5 Mondragon, Robert Hardee HS  $            1,000
6 Chandley, Gabriel Lake Wales HS  $            4,000
7 Martin, Elias Lakewood Ranch HS  $            8,000
8 Hotaling, Madelyn Lakewood Ranch HS  $            4,000
9 Schmidt, Erika Lakewood Ranch HS  $            4,000
10 Thornhill, Tierney Lakewood Ranch HS  $            4,000
11 Wagner, Jessica Lakewood Ranch HS  $            4,000
12 Panzarino, Nicholas Lynn University  $            4,000
13 Zapata, Giovan Palmetto HS  $            4,000
14 Wagner, Carson Parrish Community HS  $            4,000
15 Chafloque, Kevin Southeast HS  $            8,000
16 O’Dell, Keile Southeastern University  $            4,000
17 Millican, Justin St. Stephen’s Episcopal  $            8,000
18 Bowers, Christopher State College of Fla  $            4,000
19 Thompson, Jessica Tulane University  $            4,000
20 Chen, Bryan University of Fla  $            4,000
21 Tyler, Mallory University of Fla  $            4,000
22 Zewdie, Anteneh University of Fla  $            4,000
23 Brown, Stephanie University of Sou Fla  $            4,000
 Grand Total   $   106,000