Ottawa High School graduate receives PEO STAR Scholarship

Ottawa High School graduate Corinne Francis was selected to receive a $2,500 STAR Scholarship from the Philanthropic Educational Organization Sisterhood.

She was recommended by PEO Chapter EH of Ottawa.

The PEO STAR Scholarship was established in 2009 to provide scholarships for exceptional women in their final year of high school to attend an accredited postsecondary institution in the United States or Canada in the next academic year. The competitive STAR Scholarship is for women who exhibit excellence in leadership, academics, extracurricular activities, community service and potential for future success.

Francis was a member of the wind ensemble, marching band, pep band, concert choir, crimson choir, Overboard a cappella choir, speech team, theater department, visual art program, Ottawa Honor Society and is an Illinois State Scholar. Additionally, she attends Youth Outlook, an Illinois Social Service Agency supporting LGBTQ+ and allied youth and Open Table United Church of Christ.

Francis will study at Northern Illinois University in the fall to pursue a bachelor of fine arts degree with a focus in art studio and design/illustration. Her goal is to become a children’s book illustrator, specifically bringing increased diversity to the pages of children’s books.

PEO Chapter EH has been a part of the Ottawa community since it was organized in 1934. It has been celebrating women reaching for the stars for more than 150 years. Since its inception in 1869, the nonprofit organization has helped more than 122,000 women pursue educational goals by providing more than $415 million in grants, scholarships, awards and loans. The Sisterhood also owns and supports Cottey College. Through membership, the PEO Sisterhood has brought together more than half a million women in the U.S. and Canada who are passionate about helping women advance through education while supporting and motivating them. In addition to the educational philanthropies, the PEO Sisterhood provides a framework of support and community for all members.

What started as a bond of friendship among seven women in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, now is one of the oldest women’s organizations in North America with close to 5,800 chapters.

Go to peointernational.org to learn more about PEO.