Nueces Electric Cooperative

SOUTH TEXAS (News Release) - Nueces Electric Cooperative (NEC) proudly awarded the Ramiro De La Paz Memorial Scholarships to 14 seniors from 9 high schools: Calallen High School, Robstown Early College High School, Science Academy of South Texas, Falfurrias High School, H.M. King High School, W.B. Ray High School, Gregory Portland High School, Santa Gertrudis Academy High School, and Orange Grove High School. 

NEC awarded $22,000 in scholarships to graduating seniors in an effort to support them as they strive to continue their education. 

Recipients of these scholarships are students who are planning to attend a university or trade school in the Texas area. All recipients displayed proof of exemplary grades and test scores, as well as dedication to community and school involvement. Each recipient received between $1,000-$4,000 in scholarship awards to help fund their academic pursuits. 

“We congratulate the 2023 scholarship winners and are proud to reward the students for their academic success and dedication to their community,” says NEC Chief Executive Officer Varzavand “Avan” Irani. “As a not-for-profit cooperative, one of our guiding principles is ‘Commitment to Community,’ and I can’t think of a better way than a scholarship program to give back to the communities we serve and support our youth as they begin to pursue an impressive array of careers and areas of study.” 

Students receiving NEC’s 2023 Ramiro De La Paz Memorial Scholarships are: 

Kayla Brotherton - $4,000 John L. Sims scholarship recipient, Calallen High School 

Lucas Espinoza - $4,000 scholarship recipient, Science Academy of South Texas 

Joaquinn Lopez - $2,000 2-year college recipient, Orange Grove High School 

Kameron Currie - $2,000 2-year college recipient, Santa Gertrudis Academy High School 

Ava Lowe - $1,000 scholarship recipient, Calallen High School 

Cristina Parras - $1,000 scholarship recipient, Santa Gertrudis Academy High School 

Isabella Klement - $1,000 scholarship recipient, Calallen High School 

Karina Ybarra - $1,000 scholarship recipient, Robstown Early College High School 

Katelyn Wilson - $1,000 scholarship recipient, Calallen High School 

Roman Del Gallo - $1,000 scholarship recipient, Calallen High School 

Victoria Salinas - $1,000 scholarship recipient, Falfurrias High School 

Makenzie Gottschalk - $1,000 scholarship recipient, H.M. King High School 

Nadine Ashour - $1,000 scholarship recipient, W.B. Ray High School 

Sophia Jimenez - $1,000 scholarship recipient, Gregory Portland High School 

The NEC scholarship program is open to all high school seniors whose parent(s) or legal guardian(s) are NEC members. Applications and requirements for the 2024 NEC scholarship program will be available in the fall of 2023.