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.
Eligibility Requirements
Eligibility RequirementsThe applicant must be:
- an active Valley REC member or dependent of an active member. (Valley REC directors and employees, and their dependents, are not eligible.)
- attending or planning to attend an accredited post-secondary institution.
- enrolled or planning to enroll full-time for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Previous Brighter Future scholarship recipients are not eligible.
How to Apply
Applications are available here. There are two versions: one for high school students and one for high school graduates. Each version has two types. One type can be printed and completed by hand (Regular); the other type can be completed and signed on a computer (Fillable).
- Applicant is currently in high school.
High School Student Application
(Regular PDF, 190 KB)
High School Student Application - Fillable
(Fillable PDF, 504 KB)
- Applicant has completed high school or GED.
High School Graduate Application
(Regular PDF, 237 KB)
High School Graduate Application - Fillable
(Fillable PDF, 796 KB)
A cover sheet with additional information is available here.
Scholarship Cover Sheet (PDF, 160 KB)
Applications and cover sheets are also available 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
Application Deadline - March 31, 2024
Application Deadline - March 31, 2024Applications and all required information must be returned by March 31, 2024, 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.
PREA Scholarship Opportunities
PREA Scholarship OpportunitiesThe 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.
- PREA Scholarship Trust Fund in Memory of William F. Matson
- Jody Loudenslager Memorial Scholarship (for former Youth Tour students)
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.