The P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization) has awarded five local high school seniors its prestigious P.E.O. STAR Scholarship. Three others were chosen to receive the P.E.O. Chapter HD Memorial Scholarship.

The P.E.O. STAR Scholarship is a competitive, one-time $2,500 scholarship recognizing women in their final year of high school.

STAR Scholarship awardees demonstrated outstanding leadership, academic achievement, extra-curricular activities and community service, and plan to pursue full-time or part-time post-secondary education in the U.S. or Canada. 

STAR Scholarship awardees are:

Victoria Chen, Dos Pueblos High School Chapter AC, who will be attending Harvard College.

Jaiden Gengo, San Marcos High School, Chapter RO, who will be attending UCLA.

Hannah Huang, Dos Pueblos High School, Chapter OK, who will be attending
UC San Diego.

Samantha Landegger, Santa Barbara High School, Chapter QA, who will be attending Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo

Carley Neilsen, San Marcos High School, Chapter HD, who will be attending UCLA.

The following three were chosen to receive the P.E.O. Chapter HD Memorial Scholarship, created in memory of Lavonne C. Monroe, a longtime member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood.

Upon meeting the eligibility requirements for the HD Memorial Scholarship, each candidate was interviewed by the chapter’s philanthropies committee and evaluated based on academic performance and financial need, as well as character, extracurricular activities and community service.

Each will receive the one-time $3,500 award for use in the following academic year. The awardees are:

Natalie Martinez, Carpinteria High School, who will be attending Brown University in Boston, Massachusetts.

Anelle Priebe-Garcia, Dos Pueblos High School, who will be attending Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

Adilene Quintero Ramirez, Lompoc High School, who will be attending Westmont College.