Scholarships Available

Basin Scholarship Awarded at 67th Annual Meeting

The $1,000 Basin Scholarship is part of the Rural Electric Cooperative Scholarship Program developed and funded by Whetstone Valley Electric’s power supply partner, Basin Electric Power Cooperative. Each of the 124 member cooperatives of Basin Electric will award a scholarship to a dependent of a consumer. That means one student whose parents are Whetstone Valley Electric members is assured to win a $1,000 scholarship. This year the $1000 Basin Scholarship was awarded to Emily Miller, daughter of Tim and Sheila Miller. Congratulations, Emily!

The award is designed to recognize the academic achievements of the dependents of Whetstone Valley Electric Association members. The scholarship must be used for educational costs.

Eligibility:
Applicants must be U.S. citizens and natural or adopted children of Whetstone Valley Electric members. Any applicant must be a student who is enrolled or planning to enroll in a full-time graduate or undergraduate course of study at an accredited, two-year or four-year college university or vocational/technical school during the year in which the scholarship is awarded.

Selection Process:
The scholarship awards are based on academic excellence and applicants are judged using a combination of the following criteria: SAT/ACT scores, grade-point average, work experience, participation in school and community activities, a statement by the student explaining his/her educational and career goals, and a written recommendation by a third party. Applications will be evaluated by an independent judge for Whetstone Valley Electric and then submitted to Basin Electric for scholarship distribution.

How to Apply: Download Scholarship Application below. Deadline March 1, 2009. For more information, contact us at 605.432.5331.

Download Basin Scholarship Application

Speech Contest Announced

South Dakota students can win $2,300 in scholarships by participating in the 2009 Resource Conservation Speech Contest. The South Dakota Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with Touchstone Energy Cooperatives of South Dakota, the South Dakota Association of Conservation Districts, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, is seeking entrants for the 2009 Resource Conservation Speech Contest.
Five winners will be selected at the state level with scholarships awarded to the top three finalists. The theme for the 2009 contest is “Clean Green Alternative Energy.” Contestants will first participate in a local contest coordinated by their local conservation district. Stage two will be an area contest held at seven locations around the state. The last stage is the State Finals which will be held in Pierre on April 18, 2009.
An entry form and complete list of rules can be found on the Resource Conservation and Forestry Web site at http://www.state.sd.us/doa/forestry/educational-
information/2009Speech-BrochureTouchstone.pdf.
You may also contact the Resource Conservation and Forestry Division by calling 605-773-3623 or 1-800-228-5254 (toll free in South Dakota