Four PEO scholarships awarded to Washington class of ‘25

The prestigious P.E.O. Star Scholarship was awarded to four young women from the 2025 graduating class of Washington High School. The scholarship program was established in 2009 to provide scholarships for exceptional women in their final year of high school to attend an accredited postsecondary educational institution in the U.S. or Canada in the next academic year. The competitive STAR Scholarship in the amount of $2,500 is for women who exhibit excellence in leadership, academics, extracurricular activities, community service and potential for future success.

Each local PEO Chapter may nominate only one student for this award and for the third time in history, each applicant from Washington’s four P.E.O. Chapters was successful in receiving this scholarship. Washington’s Star Scholars are: Kate Flannery, nominated by Chapter AQ of Brighton; Halle Cuddeback, nominated by Chapter MX of Washington; Lauren Horak, nominated by Chapter OC of Washington and Isabella Lujan, nominated by Chapter J of Washington.

P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization) has been celebrating women helping women reach for the stars for more than 155 years. Since its inception in 1869, the nonprofit organization has helped more than 125,000* women pursue educational goals by providing approximately $432 million* in grants, scholarships, awards and loans. The Sisterhood also owns and supports Cottey College in Nevada, Missouri. Through membership, the P.E.O. Sisterhood has brought together more than half a million women in the United States and Canada who are passionate about helping women advance through education while supporting and motivating them. In addition to the educational philanthropies, the P.E.O. Sisterhood provides a framework of support and community for all members.

What started with a bond of friendship among seven women in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, is now one of the oldest women’s organizations in North America with close to 5,500 chapters.

To learn more about P.E.O., its powerful educational philanthropies and see stories of women who have benefited from the programs, visit peointernational.org.