San Isabel Electric awards $60,000 in scholarships to 37 students

More than a dozen students from Huerfano and Las Animas counties left San Isabel Electric Association’s annual banquet with help for college and career training, as the board of directors awarded a record $60,000 in scholarships to 37 students at the April 30 event.

For families in Aguilar, Hoehne and Trinidad, that kind of support can mean more than a line on a congratulatory certificate. It can close a tuition gap, help pay fees and books, and keep a student on track for a degree or certificate instead of putting school on hold. Recipients included local students such as Abby Smith, Paris Daugherty and Edward Garcia, part of a broader group of 37 students recognized by the co-op.

The scholarship money also reflects how San Isabel Electric sees its role in the region it serves. The program began in 1990, and the co-op says it has expanded over time from awarding scholarships only to valedictorians to supporting a wider range of students, including those pursuing vocational and certificate programs. That matters in rural counties where the path after high school is not always a four-year campus. For some students, the next step is a community college, a trade credential or a technical program that can lead straight into work.

San Isabel Electric’s scholarship process is competitive. In past years, applicants were evaluated on a résumé, cover letter, letters of recommendation, a 300-word essay and even grammar and punctuation. The board has also said it looks at community involvement, leadership potential, academic achievement and goals, and top-scoring applicants may be invited to interview for the Powered-Up Scholarship.

The co-op’s scholarship program has grown steadily in recent years, with more than $50,000 awarded to 41 students in 2025 and 39 students selected in 2024. Applications will open again Nov. 1, 2026, giving another round of local students a chance to compete for support that can keep them enrolled and connected to the communities they grew up in. In counties where leaving for school often means deciding whether to come back, that help can shape the region’s future workforce as much as it helps a single student pay the bill.