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Lake Country Power is pleased to announce 32 local high school seniors from 27 different schools have been awarded the Lake Country Power 2022 Les Beach Memorial Scholarship. The Les Beach Memorial Scholarship honors a former co-op employee and recognizes student commitment and contribution to local communities. 

The $4,000 scholarships, issued at $1,000 per year for four years, will help the following graduating seniors pursue their college plans and career dreams:

  • Brooke Doran: Barnum School

  • Sophia Finn: Cass Lake-Bena School

  • Lauren Staples: Cherry School

  • Lydia Stone: Cloquet School

  • Jay Olesiak: Cromwell-Wright School

  • Joseph Herfindahl: Deer River School

  • Jon Hakala and Annikka Mattson: Ely Memorial Secondary School 

  • Adriana (Audrey) Menor: Esko School

  • Abbie Sundich: Eveleth-Gilbert School

  • Hannah Kinnunen, Eva Salmela and Henry Sterle: Grand Rapids School

  • Ellie Peterson: Greenway-Coleraine School

  • Jessica Kukowski: Hermantown School

  • Olivia Clusiau: Hibbing School

  • Ava Klennert: Hill City School

  • Jaylynn Maijala: McGregor Secondary School 

  • Lindsey Baribeau: Mesabi East School

  • Zachary Youngs: Moose Lake School

  • Aaliyah Orso: Mountain Iron-Buhl School

  • Kayleigh Horn: Northland Community School

  • Alex Hartway and Abby Koch: North Woods School

  • Natalie Nelmark: Northeast Range School

  • Stephen McGee IV: Northern Lights Community School

  • Collin Aho: Proctor School

  • Morgan Anderson: South Ridge School

  • Elsie Hyppa and Abby Kramer: Virginia School

  • Blake Eaton: At Large category

  • Kolton Graf: Home school

The Les Beach Memorial Scholarship is available to local students from more than 35 area high schools. Qualified students must be co-op members through their parents or legal guardians who receive electric services from Lake Country Power.

The web-based application process for high school seniors will open this winter when qualifying high school seniors may apply for next year’s scholarships. The exact dates will be announced this fall, and the online application will be available from the cooperative’s website at www.lakecountrypower.coop.

The Les Beach Memorial Scholarship is made possible through unclaimed capital credits.

“As a locally member-owned cooperative, we want to ensure any unclaimed monies stay local among our co-op community and are put to good use like youth education,” said Greg Schulzetenberg, LCP manager of community relations and marketing. “The State of Minnesota permits electric cooperatives like Lake Country Power to use unclaimed funds for charitable purposes, such as scholarships.”

Lake Country Power also offers $1,000 scholarships to area community college foundations and three Minnesota lineworker schools. These scholarships support students interested in pursuing hands-on skilled trades and community/technical college programs. Applications for these scholarships are available directly through the colleges.