Brighter Future Scholarship Program

Valley Rural Electric Cooperative's Brighter Future Scholarship Program awards a number of $1,000 scholarships each academic year to eligible students who qualify. The money to fund this scholarship program comes from unclaimed capital credits refunds that previously had to be turned over to the state. Thanks to the efforts of our political advocates, we can now keep those funds in our local communities.

Three teens working on a computerEligibility Requirements

The applicant must be:

  • a dependent of an active Valley REC member who is the parent or guardian of the applicant,
  • a high school senior (public, private, charter, cyber, or home-school) planning to enroll full-time at an accredited post-secondary institution or trade/technical school for the 2025-2026 academic year.

Previous Brighter Future scholarship recipients are not eligible.

 

How to Apply

Applications are available below. There are two versions. One versioin can be printed and completed by hand (Regular); the other version can be completed and signed on a computer (Fillable). A information sheet with additional details is also available below.

2025 Scholarship Application (Regular PDF, 194 KB)

2025 Scholarship Application - Fillable (Fillable PDF, 243 KB)

2025 Scholarship Information Sheet (PDF, 160 KB)

 

Applications and information sheets also will be available the beginning of February 2025 at Valley REC offices and through the guidance offices of the following public high schools.

  • Altoona Area High School
  • Central High School
  • Claysburg-Kimmel High School
  • Fannett-Metal High School
  • Forbes Road Junior/Senior High School
  • Hollidaysburg Area Senior High School
  • Huntingdon Area High School
  • Juniata High School
  • Juniata Valley High School
  • McConnellsburg High School
  • Mifflin County High School
  • Mount Union Area High School
  • Northern Bedford County High School
  • Southern Fulton Junior/Senior High School
  • Southern Huntingdon County High School
  • Tussey Mountain High School
  • Tyrone Area High School
  • Williamsburg High School
 

Young woman studyingApplication Deadline - March 31, 2025

Applications and all required information must be returned by March 31, 2025, via one of the following methods.

  • Mailed to Valley Rural Electric Cooperative at the address on the application with a postmark no later than the deadline date.
  • E-mailed to brighterfuture@valleyrec.com with a time-stamp no later than the deadline date.
  • Delivered in-person to one of our offices by the deadline date.

Scholarship selections will be made by May. Award recipients will be notified by the end of June.

Please direct questions to Member Services - Brighter Future or call 800-432-0680.

 

Previous Recipients

Previous scholarship recipients are listed here by the calendar year in which they were awarded the scholarship. Congratulations to all of them.

 

Two young students in a chemistry classPREA Scholarship Opportunities

The Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association (PREA) offers two different scholarships. Valley REC does not oversee or award these PREA scholarships. For more information, click on a specific scholarship below.

 

Please note that these PREA links will open in a new browser window or tab. Valley Rural Electric Cooperative is not responsible for the content of PREA's pages.