2013 Plateau Education Foundation Scholarship Winners Announced
Plateau Education Foundation Scholarship winners were introduced at the Cooperative’s Annual Membership Meeting on April 20 in Clovis, N.M. Twenty-three graduating high school students earned over $70,000 for their continuing education.
Alec Gonzales from Santa Rosa High School and Courtney Spencer from Vaughn High School received Robert M. Harris Memorial Scholarships. The $6,400 scholarships honor Plateau’s first full-time general manager, Robert M. Harris. Alec is the son of Monique Gonzales of Santa Rosa and plans to attend New Mexico State University and study computer science and engineering. Courtney plans to attend the University of New Mexico and study psychology. She is the daughter of Lynda Spencer of Vaughn.
Two $6,400 Evelyn Patterson Memorial Scholarships were also awarded to Sabra Barnett from Texico High School and Danica Gonzales from Santa Rosa High School. Sabra is the daughter of Jon and Shelley Barnett of Clovis. Her future education plans include studying animal science with an emphasis in meat science at Texas Tech University. Danica is the daughter of Glenn and Gilda Gonzales of Santa Rosa. She plans to enroll in the pre-medicine program at the University of New Mexico in hopes of becoming a medical doctor. The scholarships are named in honor of the Cooperative’s first employee, Evelyn Patterson.
Committed to Excellence Scholarship
$1,000 Scholarships Available to Eligible High School Seniors and Returning College Students
Plateau, through its Board of Directors, has established an endowment fund for needs-based one-time scholarships. The company, as a regional telecommunications company in Eastern New Mexico, is a strong advocate for higher education and the economic, cultural, and social well-being of the communities in the Cooperative service area.
A limited number of one-time scholarships in the amount of $1,000 each will be available to eligible candidates. Graduating high school seniors and college students who are returning after a break of two or more consecutive semesters are eligible to apply. The applicant must be an immediate family member or dependent of a Cooperative member who resides within one of the Cooperative service area exchanges. Dependents of current employees of Plateau are also eligible, regardless of residence. Determination of eligibility and other criteria will be evaluated by Board-appointed committee.
Innovation in Schools Grant Program
Plateau offers opportunities for schools and school personnel within its Cooperative service areas to obtain financial support to improve teaching and learning activities. School districts, individual schools, departments within schools, groups of classroom teachers, or individual teachers may request a grant to a maximum of $5,000 to encourage innovation in teaching with a special emphasis in the use of broadband Internet as a learning tool. Multiple requests from the same school or school district will be considered, as long as the requests are distinctly separate and for different purposes.
Nuestro Vecinos "Our Neighbors" Grant
Rural communities are often at a disadvantage in expanding jobs, creating opportunities for new businesses, or retaining existing small business operations. Barriers associated with geographic isolation, low market density, deteriorating infrastructure, and high unemployment rates underscore the need for community development. To better strengthen and develop communities served by the Cooperative, a matching grant program has been established, “Nuestro Vecinos—Our Neighbors” (“the Grant Program”).
Public Safety Education Grants
Rural public safety agencies are often at a disadvantage in expanding their knowledge and meeting mandated training requirements due to a lack of funds available from the municipalities or counties in which they serve. Most rural communities have volunteers who assist in both fire-fighting and emergency medical response.
To assist with the training and educational costs associated with maintaining well-trained and certified law enforcement and fire protection officers, Plateau awards grants to rural communities, municipalities, and public safety departments (whether paid or volunteer) associated with the communities within the Cooperative service area.
To better strengthen and develop communities served by the Cooperative, a “no-match” grant fund has been established, “Public Safety Education Grant Fund”, which will award up to $5,000 per award to be used for those purposes described under the eligibility requirements.
