Sebasticook Valley Federal Credit Union awards $19,000 in scholarships

PITTSFIELD – Sebasticook Valley Federal Credit Union announced the recipients of its annual scholarships for 2024, celebrating scholastic excellence and the continued education of its members and employees. The nine scholarships awarded totaled $19,000. Following a competitive selection process, the winners were announced on June 2 and 7 on the graduation days of Maine Central Institute and Nokomis Regional High School respectively.

The credit union offers a variety of scholarships to support credit union members and their families in pursuing higher education. Eligible applicants are graduating high school students enrolling full-time in an accredited college, university, or vocational-technical school. As part of the application, students submitted a 200-300 word essay on community service.

The Sebasticook Valley FCU Scholarship, a $1,000-$2,500 yearly award, was granted to Olivia Varney, Wyatt Robinson, and Catherine Carter of Maine Central Institute and Jacob Neumeyer of Nokomis Regional High School. The Sebasticook Valley FCU George Lougee Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Evelyn Littlefield of Nokomis Regional High School, while the Douglas H. Nyman Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Abigail Roy, also of Nokomis.

In memory of Christian A. Stein, a long-time educator in the Maine School Administrative District 53 school system, Matt and Dan Stein and Sebasticook Valley FCU sponsors the Stein Family Scholarship. This year’s recipient of the $3,500 scholarship, which encourages students pursuing a career in education, is Charlotte Hands of MCI.

The credit union also extends its support to its employees through dedicated scholarships. The Student Tellers Scholarship, awarding $1,000 annually, was granted to Colton Allen of MCI and Mackenzie Koenig of Nokomis Regional High School. This scholarship is for student tellers who complete their first semester and prove enrollment for the second semester.

“The scholarships we offer reflect our deep commitment to education and community service,” said Jim Lemieux, president of Sebasticook Valley Federal Credit Union. “We believe in supporting the academic aspirations of our members and employees, and we are proud to contribute to their future success.”

The scholarship recipients were selected by a committee of credit union staff members based on academic achievement, strong work ethic, including part-time work or volunteerism, and involvement in school and community activities.