Lila Basquil, a senior at Newsome High School, was selected to receive a $2,500 STAR Scholarship from the P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization) Sisterhood. She was recommended by P.E.O. Chapter IW of Valrico.
The P.E.O. STAR Scholarship was established in 2009 to provide scholarships for exceptional women in their final year of high school to attend an accredited postsecondary educational institution in the U.S. or Canada in the next academic year. The competitive STAR Scholarship is for women who exhibit excellence in leadership, academics, extracurricular activities, community service and potential for future success.
Basquil is a member of the student government at his school and the youth leadership team at Grace Community Church, works at Camp Cristina and nannies for a special needs child. She also volunteers at Camp Able every summer. She will attend Florida State University in the fall to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree. Her ultimate goal is to become a speech therapist and work one-on-one with special needs children.
Chapter IW has been a part of the Valrico community since it was organized in 2009.
P.E.O. has been celebrating women helping women reach for the stars for more than 155 years. Since its inception in 1869, the nonprofit organization has helped more than 125,000 women pursue educational goals by providing approximately $432 million in grants, scholarships, awards and loans. The P.E.O. Sisterhood also owns and supports Cottey College. Through membership, the P.E.O. Sisterhood has brought together more than half a million women in the United States and Canada who are passionate about helping women advance through education while supporting and motivating them. In addition to educational philanthropies, the P.E.O. Sisterhood provides a framework of support and community for all members.
What started with a bond of friendship among seven women in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, is now one of the oldest women’s organizations in North America with close to 5,500 chapters.
To learn more about P.E.O., its powerful educational philanthropies and the stories of women who have benefited from its programs, visit www.peointernational.org.
You can also join us at www.facebook.com/peointernational or on Instagram @PEOInternational.
