Scholarship Programs
West Central offers three scholarship programs to students in our service area. See information and requirements for each scholarship below:
JOHN & KATHRYN ENGLISH MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
I. Background
The John & Kathryn English Memorial Scholarship Trust was created under the terms of the Last Will & Testament of Kathryn English. The purpose of this trust is to provide scholarship grants for high school seniors who meet DESE graduation requirements, and who are or were active 4-H members at the time of their high school graduation, and who desire to attend college the fall semester following their senior year/high school graduation to pursue a degree. John English, a former director of West Central Electric Cooperative, Inc., designated West Central's Board of Directors as Trustees of the Memorial Scholarship Trust.
II. Amount of Scholarship
The John & Kathryn English Memorial Scholarship Committee will award one $1,000 scholarship ($500 per semester) to a student beginning his/her freshman year in college. This student may reapply for additional funds for their next three years of study. Renewal requests will be filed in the spring and submitted with a transcript for the previous school year. Grants will be paid out by semester as long as the student remains enrolled full-time and meets academic requirements stated on the renewal application. The amount of these grants may vary due to availability of funds. The committee may decide to make one or more one-time scholarship awards based on merit.
III. Selection Criteria
A. The applicant will be selected without regard to sex, race, religion or color.
B. The applicant must attend a high school in West Central Electric’s service area -- Lafayette, Johnson and eastern Jackson counties (including Oak Grove, Lone Jack and home school students) OR have a parent or legal guardian who is a current West Central Electric member. Districts NOT in the WCE service area (Sherwood, Grain Valley, Ft. Osage, etc.) may have students who qualify based on a parent or legal guardian being a current member of the cooperative.
C. A cumulative 3.0 or better grade point average is requirement.
D. Students MUST provide an ACT score or equivalent college entrance exam score to apply.
E. Participation in 4-H at the time of high school graduation is required.
F. Two reference letters are required. No letter may come from a relative, and one letter must be from an adult involved with 4-H (for example a project leader, a 4-H youth specialist, etc.)
G. Students must submit a copy of their completed Missouri Report Form (including required signatures) along with their application.
H. A high school transcript must accompany the application.
I. The Scholarship Committee will consider financial need and special circumstances when selecting the winner of this scholarship. Please address financial need and any special circumstances when answering question #4 on this application.
J. Please submit a recent photo along with your application. This photo will be used for press releases and for the WCE newsletter if you are selected a winner. If you submit your application online, please email a photo to heather@wcecoop.com.
K. Finalists will be required to participate in an interview with the scholarship committee. If applying, you should tentatively plan to be available that evening for interviews, should you be named a finalist.
L. All scholarship applications MUST BE TYPED.
M. High School counselor must sign your transcript. (Home school transcripts are accepted, but must be signed by the teacher.) **Applications received without transcripts WILL BE PENALIZED.
IV. Restrictions
Children and grandchildren of current WCE directors are not eligible to apply.
V. Application Deadline
All applications must be posted on or before Feb. 16, 2024. Send applications to , West Central Electric Cooperative, P.O. Box 452, Higginsville, MO 64037
VI. On-line Applications
Scholarship applications are available on line at www.westcentralelectric.coop under the heading “Youth Programs.” Applications may be printed and mailed, or filled out online and emailed. If you choose to email your application, please also either email your photo as a jpeg to heather@wcecoop.com or mail a photograph along with your transcript. Applications submitted via email must arrive by 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 16, 2024.
VII. Finalist Notification
Interviews will be scheduled for the evening of Wednesday, March 27, 2024. All students applying for this scholarship should tentatively plan for an interview on this date. Those scheduled for interviews will be notified by March 1, 2024.
DOWNLOAD 2024 APPLICATION HERE
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WEST CENTRAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE SCHOLARSHIP
I. Amount of Scholarship
This year, approximately 20 high school seniors meeting DESE graduation requirements will receive a $1,000 West Central Electric Cooperative scholarship for use at any college, university, trade or technical school the fall semester after their senior year/high school graduation.
II. Selection Criteria
A. The applicant will be selected without regard to sex, race, religion or color.
B. The applicant's parent or legal guardian must be a current WCE member.
C. A cumulative 3.0 or better grade point average is required.
D. Students MUST provide an ACT score or equivalent college entrance exam score to apply.
E. A high school transcript must accompany the application. **Applications received without transcripts WILL BE PENALIZED.
F. The Scholarship Committee will consider financial need and special circumstances when selecting the winner of this scholarship. Please address financial need and any special circumstances when answering question #5 on this application.
G. Please submit a recent photo along with your application. This photo will be used for press releases and for the WCE newsletter if you are selected a winner. If you submit your application online, please email a photo to heather@wcecoop.com..
H. All scholarship applications MUST BE TYPED.
I. High school counselor must sign your transcript. (Home-school transcripts are accepted, but must be signed by the teacher.)
III. Restrictions
A. Children and grandchildren of current West Central employees and directors are not eligible to apply.
B. Four-year recipients of the John and Kathryn English Memorial Scholarship Trust will not be considered.
IV. Application Deadline
All applications must be postmarked on or before March 8, 2024. Send applications to: Heather Hoflander, West Central Electric Cooperative, P.O. Box 452, Higginsville, MO 64037.
V. On-line applications
Scholarship applications are available on line at www.westcentralelectric.coop under the heading “Youth Programs.” Applications may be printed and mailed, or filled out on line and emailed. If you choose to email your application, please also either email your photo as a jpeg to heather@wcecoop.com or mail a photograph along with your transcript. Applications submitted via email must arrive by 4:30 p.m. March 8, 2024.
VI. Winners’ Notification
Recipients of the scholarship will be notified by May 1, 2024 by Email.
DOWNLOAD 2024 APPLICATION HERE
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WEST CENTRAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS SCHOLARSHIP
West Central Electric Cooperative, Higginsville, Missouri, will accept applications from students interested in pursuing a degree in Electrical Distribution Systems at an accredited institution in Missouri, Kansas or Iowa. This program provides for students a scholarship as well as on-the-job training. THE OFFERING OF THIS SCHOLARSHIP IS CONTINGENT UPON POSITIONS AVAILABLE AT WCE, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED EVERY YEAR. General provisions of the scholarship are as follows:
Eligibility Requirements
A. Applicant should reside in the West Central Electric Cooperative service area.
B. Applicant shall be expected to participate in an interview with the cooperative general manager and/or staff representatives in April 2020.
C. Applicant should be a student in good academic standing with a minimum 2.5 high school cumulative GPA, or GED with 260 minimum score.
D. Applicant should be admitted as a full-time student to the school of choice, and be accepted into that institution's Electrical Distribution Systems Program.
E. Applicant should attend school commencing during the Fall semester immediately following receipt of the application.
F. Applicant is required to complete a summer internship at West Central Electric Cooperative.
Selection and Award of Scholarship
A. Selection criteria. To be considered, applicants must forward a complete application packet by the scholarship application deadline of April 1, 2024. The criteria used to evaluate applications for award will be based upon the following:
Academic achievement
Civic involvement
Leadership
Ability to communicate clearly defined personal goals through personal goal statement (on application)
Financial need
Interview conducted by the general manager and/or cooperative staff
B. Selection Priority. This is a one-time annual scholarship awarded to full-time students attending an accredited EDS program. West Central Electric Cooperative will determine the number of awards based on need and the number of applicants as well as the availability of funds. In the event a student is unable to fulfill the requirement of full-time enrollment for the fall semester in the year the scholarship is awarded, the scholarship may be transferred to the next available alternate.
C. Scholarship Award. The scholarship provides up to $5,000 annually to begin in the fall semester upon the student’s verified enrollment. The scholarship may be used for the cost of tuition, fees, books, tools, and/or other costs associated with a student’s education. The scholarship is renewable each semester if the recipient meets the continued expectations of the scholarship, up to $10,000 maximum per recipient.
Application Packet
Deadline for application to assure consideration for the next following academic year is April 1. Please submit the following to be considered:
1. Letter of acceptance to an accredited institution and admittance to the school's EDS program.
2. High school transcript or official GED score report.
3. Complete scholarship application, including personal goal statement.
4. Two letters of character reference.
*Applications may be printed and mailed along with transcript or GED report and letters, or you may submit this online application and mail your high school transcript or GED report and letters of reference. Applications submitted online must arrive by 4:30 p.m. April 1, 2024. Please also email your photo as a jpg to heather@wcecoop.com, or mail a photograph along with your transcript and letters to West Central Electric Cooperative, Inc., Attention: Scholarships, P.O. Box 452, Higginsville, MO 64037.
Expectations of Scholarship Recipient
A. Recipient must maintain 3.0 GPA per semester. There will be a one (1) semester probation should the student’s grades fall below a 3.0 GPA. Failure to return to a 3.0 could mean loss of scholarship. Applicant will provide the cooperative with a transcript at the end of each semester.
B. Recipient must attend all classes and work. Absences must be approved. Excessive school attendance absences may result in suspension or termination of the remainder of the scholarship benefits.
C. Recipient must comply with the institution's student policies and rules. Failure to abide by such policies and rules may result in suspension or termination of the remainder of the scholarship benefits.
D. Recipient must contractually agree to work at West Central Electric Cooperative for four years following completion of the degree. A copy of the employment contract is attached as Exhibit A. The receipt of this scholarship is expressly contingent upon the successful applicant executing said employment contract, Exhibit A. Failure to complete the contract would mean reimbursement of the scholarship based on incomplete term. Employment after graduation will be solely at the discretion of West Central Electric Cooperative management. The employment contract may be changed or terminated at any time due to employee misconduct or if a position is not available.
E. In the event the student initially awarded the scholarship is unable to fulfill the requirement of full-time enrollment for the fall semester, the scholarship may be awarded to the next available alternate.
F. Release of Information: In submitting the application, the applicant grants permission for the scholarship committee to review high school and college transcripts and to contact character references. Submission of the application also grants permission to promote and publicize the scholarship and recipient(s).
G. Recipient must submit an official transcript to West Central Electric Cooperative at the conclusion of each semester to verify eligibility and GPA.