It is that time of the year again when Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative, through the OTEC Member Foundation, begins to seek applications for academic, trade school, lineman college and the Washington, D.C., Youth Tour scholarships. These are all incredible opportunities for local students and adults!

Tuesday, November 1, applications for OTEC’s academic scholarships will open. The following scholarship programs are available:

• For the fourth year, four academic scholarships will be allocated to the OTEC-EOU Rural Scholarship Program, an exciting partnership between OTEC and Eastern Oregon University in La Grande. Four incoming EOU freshmen will have the opportunity to have their entire four years of tuition and fees paid for, if they commit to attend and graduate from Eastern Oregon University.
• Academic scholarships awarding $5,000 to graduating high school and homeschooled seniors, returning college students and adults looking to attend college.
• For those looking to explore a career in the electric utility industry or a trade, $5,000 Lineman School scholarships are available as well as $2,500 trade school scholarships.

The deadline to apply for all academic scholarships is Tuesday, February 28, 2023.

Applications to the lineman and trade school scholarships are accepted year-round and will be awarded until funds are exhausted.

Applications and specific criteria for all the OTEC scholarships are available at otec.coop/scholarships.

Washington, D.C. Youth Tour

Also starting on November 1, current high school and homeschooled juniors can apply for a one-week, all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. to celebrate the 2023 Rural Electric Cooperative Youth Tour. The trip will be held from June 17 to June 23, 2023.

Over the course of the tour, OTEC’s delegates will visit famous historical sites, meet with congressional leaders, and learn leadership skills. The students will also create projects as they learn about electric cooperatives and current issues in energy and climate change legislation that face their communities and our nation.

The deadline to apply for the D.C. Youth Tour is January 31, 2023.

Applications and specific criteria can be found at otec.coop/dc-youth-tour.