What is a P.E.O. Sister?

 

 

Thanks to the generous support of our members, P.E.O. was able to award 900 STAR Scholarships this year! We are confident these amazing women will go on to do incredible things in the future.

P.E.O. Chapter JI's 2022 Bright Futures Scholarship Award Recipient

 
Maggie McCleskey, Centaurus High School, Lafayette, Colorado

Photo taken by Jan Smith.

Maggie McCleskey and Her Mother, Starbucks Coffee Shop.

Photo taken by Jan Smith.

Today, this scholarship award was presented to Maggie McCleskey. Chapter Growth Committee co-chairs Annette Oakley and Kathie Burson, along with Jan Smith, met Maggie and her mother at a nearby Starbucks to present Maggie with the check. 

She will be attending Adams State University, where she will pursue a degree in biology. She has committed to participate in their cross-country and track teams.

While in high school, she is an International Baccalaureate Diploma Candidate with a weighted grade point average of 5.00. She is an accomplished track and field and cross-country athlete who holds five school records. She is a member of the National Honor Society. She volunteers at the Boulder Humane Society. She has served as a lifeguard at the Louisville Recreation Center.

From Her Letter of Recommendation:
It is not just Maggie’s talent that sets her apart, it is her willingness to dream big and put in the everyday, mundane work it takes to achieve success. Maggie is patient and kind with those that she works with, and she genuinely cares about the success of others. Her work ethic is what will always set her apart from her peers.

Colorado State Chapter's Cinco de Mayo Celebration

 

P.E.O. Chapter JI's president Belinda Alkula participated in today's virtual Cinco de Mayo celebration which was hosted by the officers of the Colorado State Chapter of P.E.O. Around 50 Sisters from across the state Zoomed in for a fun time of laughter and learning. One of the pop quiz questions was if we knew the history of the Cinco de Mayo holiday. To find out, click here. 

P.E.O. Chapter JI Sponsored Anna Spiers, a P.E.O. Scholar Award Recipient!

 

We celebrate Anna Spiers as being a recipient of a P.E.O. Scholar Award this year!

About Anna Spiers
- Ph.D. Candidate, CU, Boulder, Dept. of Ecology and Environmental Biology
- Planned Graduation: Spring 2023
- Undergrad in Mathematics with goal to take “fear” out of math for young girls
- Coached High School Cross Country
- Trekked solo through Peru to study medicinal plants
- Worked on farm in Tuscany
- Research Overview: Study how organisms respond to environmental disturbances and how to forecast their response before it happens.
- Career goals: To either work for the government; US Geological Survey or a non-profit, The Nature Conservancy

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Below is an excerpt from an email that Anna Spiers sent to Kathie Burson, sharing part of the notification that she had been selected.

Dear Anna Spiers:

Congratulations!  You are one of the 100 women out of 775 nominees selected to receive a $20,000 P.E.O. Scholar Award for the 2022-2023 academic year. Being selected as a P.E.O. Scholar is a prestigious addition to your outstanding record.  Your scholarly excellence, academic achievement, and worthwhile career goals speak to your ability to make a significant contribution to your field.

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Kathie Burson's Comment: "WOW-WHEE, GALS! We did it! We helped this amazing young woman get significant help on her path to making our world a better place! Special thanks to the Growth Committee for everything they did to make this possible."

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Belinda Alkula's Comment: "What Just Incredible News!!! Yes, a very special thank you to the members of our chapter's Growth Committee for orchestrating Anna's successful application for this very prestigious award! 

Sisters, our loving concern for one another ... and ... our commitment to the ideals, principles, and core values of the P.E.O. Sisterhood result in tangible ways we are making a difference in our lives and in the lives of women in our orbit! Brava!

Celebrating Arrival of Marguerite's Grandson Kayden!

 

We celebrate the joyful news of the arrival of Marguerite's grandson Kayden. He was born last month in Sulfuric, Louisiana. His birth mother loved him so much that she chose Marguerite's daughter and her husband to become Kayden's parents. Kayden is one blessed little boy, to be sure!

Congratulations to Marguerite and her family!

Every Day Blessings