May 1, 2018 – SECO Energy is a not-for-profit electric cooperative operating for the benefit of its members. As a member-focused cooperative, SECO is committed to delivering reliable, safe, affordable power to its members and focuses on community enrichment.

SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees first approved the scholarship program for local students in 1996. In the twenty years since inception, SECO’s scholarship program has awarded almost $600,000 in scholarship monies to 281 young scholars residing in SECO’s service area.

This year’s SECO scholarship recipients are a class of bright, ambitious, hard-working students who are concentrated on achieving their goals. SECO’s 2018 Scholarship Program awardees are:

Jahmani Walter Beckford, Groveland, is graduating from Real Life Christian Academy.
Eunice Garcia Ceballos, Ocala, is graduating from Belleview High School.
Chelsea Chapa, Eustis, is graduating from Mount Dora High School.
Kaylie Rae Fields, Umatilla, is graduating from Umatilla High School.
Jasmine Renee Gee, Ocala, is graduating from West Port High School.
Odalis Lora, Astatula, is graduating from Tavares High School.
Moriah Martin, Bushnell, is graduating from South Sumter High School.
Luz Elena Mata, Summerfield, is graduating Belleview High School.
Corinne Ross, Tavares, is graduating from Tavares High School.
Ashlyn Paige Saunders, Ocklawaha, is graduating from Belleview High School.
Stephen Ngozi Unamaka, Clermont, is graduating from East Ridge High School.
Katelin Vaughn, Belleview, is graduating from Belleview High School.

President and District 9 Trustee Jerry Hatfield is looking forward to meeting this year’s scholarship recipients. Hatfield stated, “As a former Lake County educator, I know first-hand our local schools are filled with students who desire an education beyond high school. This desire is sometimes hampered by limited financial resources. SECO’s Scholarship Program offers students monetary assistance to help them achieve their goals of a further education and a future career.”

CEO Jim Duncan believes the SECO Scholarship Program could be a first step to a successful career path, possibly with SECO. Duncan stated, “A career path with SECO Energy may be a good fit for some of our scholarship recipients. SECO is centrally located near their hometowns and several metropolitan areas in Central Florida. We hire a host of high-skilled, high-wage positions that include a robust benefits package with generous paid-time-off, medical coverage, dental and vision coverage. An additional benefit that may be particularly interesting to younger potential employees is our student loan repayment assistance program.”

Duncan continued, “The energy industry is growing and with that growth are new technologies and new career opportunities. SECO is a growing cooperative that needs highly skilled employees to keep up with the latest industry trends and available technology.”

SECO will host a celebratory event for the 2018 scholarship recipients and their families at its headquarters on May 21, 2018.

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