Wonder Women
Local group awards STAR Scholarship to 2 Benton graduates
The Philanthropic Education Organization has awarded $2500 scholarships to two recent Benton High School graduates.
Kati Morrow and Caroline Thompson both earned the PEO STAR Scholarship by excelling in leadership, extracurricular activities, community service, academics and potential for future success.
PEO was founded 150 years ago by seven women attending Iowa Wesleyan College. They founded the organization to actively promote women’s rights and education during the 1800s. PEO has grown to become an international organization that continues to provide
educational opportunities for women.
Benton chapter member Hallie Beard has been a member of the organization for 50 years. She first began her involvement with PEO as a member of a chapter in Augusta, Arkansas. Beard believes that the PEO’S mission of “Women Helping Women Reach for the Stars” is needed now more than ever.
“The scholarships are awarded to outstanding young women who are going to go to college for the first time,” Beard said.
There are nearly 6,000 PEO chapters in the United States and Canada with almost 250,000 initiated members. Benton is home to two chapters, AX and DM.
The AX chapter awarded
its scholarship to Thompson.
“She is a wonderful, wonderful recipient,” Beard said. “I believe this is the first time AX has has a STAR Scholarship recipient. We are just thrilled to death. We are so proud of her.”
Thompson is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Travis Thompson. She plans to attend Southern Methodist University and major in Engineering.
“I am very excited about receiving the scholarship,” Thompson said. “No one ever gets [the STAR Scholarship] from Benton. Whenever I got it, I was completely shocked.
Thompson said SMU was a natural fit for her because both of her parents attended the school and she has grown up visiting there.
The DM chapter awarded its scholarship to Morrow.
“I was so excited when I found out I had received the scholarship,” Morrow said.
“I also felt very honored that such a kind group of women chose me.”
Morrow is the daughter of Jeff and Miki Morrow.
She plans to attend the University of Arkansas and major in nutrition and business.
“I am most looking forward to moving to a different city and meeting lots of new people,” Morrow said. “It will also be fun to be able to study all different subjects that interest me most.”
Beard said that organizations like PEO are important because they serve women all across the globe and welcomes women of all race, religions and backgrounds.
“There has to be organizations to help women further their education and to make them feel stronger about themselves and to feel better about themselves,” Beard said. “We come together and we bond. It’s a really neat organization.