Out of more than 360 applicants, Smithson Valley High School senior Olivia Kershner was among 28 area students to receive a scholarship from Pedernales Electric Cooperative.

PEC gave a total of $100,000 to 28 area students ranging from $2,500 to one $10,000 award. The scholarships were presented at an April 26 reception in Johnson City.

“We are committed to helping our future leaders grow, and the essays we received were a powerful reminder of just how much PEC, as a cooperative, supports and empowers our members,” said Trista Fugate, PEC’s director of community engagement. “These students each have so much promise, and we look forward to watching them succeed.”

In addition to an essay identifying how a PEC scholarship would help them achieve educational and career goals, recipients were selected by a panel of independent judges based on their academic performance, community involvement, extracurricular activities and financial need.

PEC has supported local students through its scholarship program for more than a decade, and officials have said the program illustrates PEC’s commitment to its principle, “concern for communities.”

PEC scholarships can be used to pay expenses at any accredited university, college, junior college, technical school or trade school.