NEW LONDON — Firelands Electric Cooperative has announced the winners of its 2022 scholarship contest.
Morgan Welch of Crestview High School was selected as the first-place winner of an $1,800 scholarship. The daughter of Mike and Misty Welch of Mansfield, she plans to study at Grace College in the fall. Welch is also now eligible to participate in a statewide contest on April 12 at Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives in Columbus.
At this event, representatives from Ohio’s 24 electric co-ops have a chance to compete for additional scholarships worth up to $3,900.
The second-place winner of $1,600 is Ellen Fox of Willard High School. Fox is the daughter of Todd Fox and Bethany Fleiner of Willard. She plans to study nursing and is currently undecided which college she will attend next fall.
Alison Barr of Loudonville High School is the winner of the third-place $1,400 scholarship. Daughter of Matthew and Kelly Cominsky of Loudonville, she plans to study pharmacy at Ohio Northern University.
Fourth-place winner of a $1,200 scholarship is Madison Beard of Seneca East High School. Beard is the daughter of Josh and Tammy Beard of Attica. She plans to study baking and pastry arts at The Culinary Institute of America.
The fifth-place winner of $1,000 is Allyson Gatchall of Tri-County International Baccalaureate Academy. Gatchall is the daughter of Scott and Jennifer Gatchall of Mansfield. She has a special nomination to attend the Air Force Academy in the fall.
Aubriana Lugli of New London High School is the winner of the sixth-place $750 scholarship. The daughter of Denis and Sherry Lugli of New London, she plans to attend Xavier University with a major in biomedical science.
The winners of Honorable Mention scholarships, worth $500 each, are Ashlee Gantz of Ashland High School and Katelynn Smeltzer of Hillsdale High School.
Gantz is the daughter of Raymond and Melanie Gantz of Ashland. She will major in middle childhood education and botany at Miami University next fall.
Smeltzer, the daughter of Jason and Jennifer Smeltzer of Perrysville, plans to major in animal science at The Ohio State University – ATI next fall.
Lauren Ayers of South Central High School and Caden Fox of Ashland High School, are the winners of Judges’ Choice awards of $500 each. Ayers is the daughter of Jerry and Angie Ayers of Willard. She plans to study nursing next fall at Mount Vernon Nazarene University.
Fox, son of Jeremy and Adina Fox of Ashland, plans to major in engineering at The Ohio State University.
Firelands Electric offers its scholarship contest annually to graduating high school seniors who reside in a home served by the cooperative.
This year, the co-op received applications from students attending Ashland, Crestview, Hillsdale, Loudonville, Mapleton, New London, Seneca East, South Central, St. Paul, Tri-County International Baccalaureate Academy, and Willard high schools.
Firelands Electric Cooperative, A Touchstone Energy Cooperative, is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric utility serving 9,100 members in the rural areas of Ashland, Huron, Lorain, and Richland counties.
For more information on Firelands’ scholarships and youth programs, visit their website at www.firelandsec.com.
