Holmes County High School student wins WFEC scholarship

Emma Grace Fowler of Holmes County High School was among the 2026 scholarship winners recognized by West Florida Electric Cooperative, a $1,000 award that keeps local education dollars tied to Holmes County students. WFEC presented the awards at its Annual Meeting/Member Appreciation Day on Saturday, April 25.

The cooperative awards up to thirteen $1,000 scholarships each year, with one going to a graduating senior from each high school in its four-county service area and one set aside for a home-schooled student. WFEC said the scholarships can be used for post-secondary study or vocational and technical education, giving recipients flexibility whether they are heading to a university, a community college or a trade program.

Recipients are chosen through a process that weighs essays on what makes cooperatives different from other utilities, academic achievement and service to their communities. This year’s scholarship class included students from nine schools, underscoring how broadly the program reaches across the region.

For Holmes County, Fowler’s recognition follows another local winner last year. In 2025, WFEC awarded scholarships to 14 local students, including Savannah Goodman of Holmes County High School, showing the program’s steady year-over-year support for students from the county.

WFEC said the scholarships reflect its ongoing commitment to investing in the future of the communities it serves. The cooperative, which is member-owned and nonprofit, provides electricity in Calhoun, Holmes, Jackson and Washington counties, and the scholarship program is one way it keeps that mission focused close to home.

Applications for the 2026 round have closed, but the structure of the program points the way for future applicants: seniors at schools in WFEC’s four-county service area, along with home-schooled students, can compete for a scholarship that is designed to ease the cost of continuing education while rewarding community involvement and strong academics. For Holmes County families, the award offers more than tuition help. It connects local students to an organization that is investing directly in the next generation of workers, tradespeople and college graduates who are likely to build their futures here.