AEP announces 2013 Educational Award winners

Forty-two sons and daughters of employees throughout the AEP System have been named recipients of 2013 AEP Educational Awards.

Each of the winning scholars will receive $7,000 over a three-year period: $2,500 for the freshman year in college, $2,500 for the sophomore year and $2,000 for the junior year.

A total of 267 students throughout the AEP System applied for the 42 available scholarships, which were open to employees’ children who are seniors in high school and plan to enter college this fall.

Winners were selected by two independent scholastic judges based on each student’s class rank, grade point average, test scores, recommendations, autobiographical presentation, special qualities or talents, leadership abilities, extracurricular activities and citizenship.

AEP has given 1,783 educational awards totaling nearly $7.6 million since the program began in 1955 with a single $500 award. If a student receives a full scholarship to the institution of choice, he or she will give up the AEP award and an alternate will be selected.

This year’s winners are:

Logan Adkins, son of Doug and Anne Adkins. Doug is an instrumentation and controls technician at the John Amos Plant in Winfield, W.Va. Logan is a senior at Herbert Hoover High School in Clendenin, W.Va.

Maria Amaya, daughter of Pedro and Marcela Amaya. Pedro is the director of Civil Engineering at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Maria is a senior at Thomas Worthington High School in Worthington, Ohio.

Angelle Antoun, daughter of Rami and Helen Antoun. Rami recently retired from his position as a senior engineer at the Cook Nuclear Plant in Bridgman, Mich. Angelle is a senior at St. Joseph High School in St. Joseph, Mich.

Faisal Baig, son of Shahriyar and Tabassum Baig. Shahriyar is a senior civil engineer in Civil Engineering at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Faisal is a senior at Hilliard Darby High School in Hilliard, Ohio.

Matthew Bernert, son of David and MaryGrace Bernert. David is a manager in Transmission Engineering Resource Management in Gahanna, Ohio. Matthew is a senior at St. Charles Preparatory High School in Bexley, Ohio.

Kelly Bleier, daughter of Rich and Judy Bleier. Rich is a senior engineer in Steam Generation Engineering at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Kelly is senior at Thomas Worthington High School in Worthington, Ohio.

Alexis Brown, daughter of Kenneth and Vanessa Brown. Kenneth is a line crew supervisor at Appalachian Power Company (Roanoke District) in Lynchburg, Va. Alexis is a senior at Jefferson Forest High School in Forest, Va., and Central Virginia Governor’s School.

Cole Carlson, son of Mike and Kathy Carlson. Mike is the director of Nuclear Technical Projects at the Cook Nuclear Plant in Bridgman, Mich. Cole is a senior at Hamilton High School in Hamilton, Mich. 

Sarah Collie, daughter of Gary and Scarlet Collie. Scarlet is an engineering technician at Glade Spring Service Center in Glade Spring, Va. Sarah is a senior at Holston High School in Damascus, Va.

Riley Collins, son of Douglas and Jennifer Collins. Douglas is a principal turbine services engineer at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Riley is a senior at Canal Winchester High School in Canal Winchester, Ohio.

Sydney Donofrio, daughter of Christopher and Sue Donofrio. Christopher is an Information Technology business analyst at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Sydney is a senior at Columbus School for Girls in Columbus, Ohio.

Samantha Dyroff, daughter of Christine and David Dyroff. Christine is an accounting manager at AEP River Operations in St. Louis, Mo. Samantha is a senior at Kirkwood High School in St. Louis.

John Fenton, son of Maureen and Ray Fenton. Ray is a customer service account manager for Southwestern Electric Power Company in Shreveport, La. John is a senior at Loyola College Prep High School in Shreveport.

Mia Foster, daughter of Dusty and Tracey Wiley. Dusty is a supervisor of customer design at Southwestern Electric Power Company in Texarkana, Texas. Mia is a senior at Queen City High School in Queen City, Texas.

Jeremy Held, son of Tim and Sue Held. Tim is a senior Information Technology systems analyst at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Jeremy is a senior at Westerville South High School in Westerville, Ohio.

Matt Hill, son of John and Staci Hill. John is an equipment operator at AEP’s Gavin Plant in Cheshire, Ohio. Matt is a senior at Warren Local High School in Vincent, Ohio.

Gabriel Hodge, son of Jeff and Marie Hodge. Jeff is a unit supervisor at the Cook Nuclear Plant in Bridgman, Mich. Gabriel is a senior at Buchanan High School in Buchanan, Mich., and the Berrien County Math and Science Center on the campus of Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Mich.

Emily Jadwin, daughter of Laurie and Jay Jadwin. Jay is a senior counsel in the AEP Legal Department in Columbus, Ohio. Emily is a senior at Gahanna Lincoln High School in Gahanna, Ohio.

Emily James, daughter of Eric and Susan James. Eric is managing director of fuel analysis and emissions at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Emily is a senior at Pickerington High School Central in Pickerington, Ohio.

Jason Klinect, son of Dave and Nancy Klinect. Dave is a senior engineering technologist at the Dolan Technology Center in Groveport, Ohio. Jason is a senior at Licking Heights High School in Pataskala, Ohio.

Ryan Lane, son of Kevin and Barbara Lane. Kevin is a senior stores attendant at Northeastern 3&4 Plant in Oologah, Okla. Ryan is a senior at Claremore High School in Claremore, Okla.

Mark Lasher, son of John and Rose Anna Lasher. John is an energy production supervisor at Rockport Plant in Rockport, Ind. Mark is a senior at South Spencer High School in Rockport.

Jonathan Main, son of Peter and Cindy Main. Peter is a principal communications consultant for Southwestern Electric Power Company in Fayetteville, Ark. Jonathan is a senior at Fayetteville High School in Fayetteville.

Nathan Majka, son of Mark and Judi Majka. Mark is a principal engineer in Protection and Control Standards in Gahanna, Ohio. Nathan is a senior at Bishop Watterson High School in Columbus, Ohio.

Ryan Miller, son of Robin and Jan Miller. Robin is a distribution system planning engineer at Public Service Company of Oklahoma in Lawton, Okla. Ryan is a senior at Eisenhower High School in Lawton.

Nicholas Newman, son of Jeff and Judy Newman. Jeff is a project manager in Information Technology at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Nicholas is a senior at Pickerington North High School in Pickerington, Ohio.

Crystal Nguyen, daughter of Hieu and Minh Nguyen. Minh is a transmission line engineer for Public Service Company of Oklahoma in Tulsa, Okla. Crystal is a senior at Cascia Hall Preparatory High School in Tulsa.

Lindsey Noye, daughter of Dean and Jennifer Noye. Dean is a distribution dispatcher for Indiana Michigan Power in Fort Wayne, Ind. Lindsey is a senior at Bishop Dwenger High School in Fort Wayne.

Ricardo Perez, son of Diana and Francisco Perez. Diana is a region environmental coordinator at Texas Central Company in Laredo, Texas. Ricardo is a senior at J.W. Nixon High School in Laredo.

Courtney Persinger, daughter of Darren and Nichole Persinger. Darren is a planner 1 at John Amos Plant in Winfield, W.Va. Courtney is a senior at Buffalo High School in Buffalo, W.Va.

Daniel Riordan, son of Tim and Trish Riordan. Tim is the vice president of Engineering Services at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Daniel is a senior at Pickerington North High School in Pickerington, Ohio.

Keith Ruh, son of Robert and Terri Ruh. Terri is a senior Information Technology business systems analyst in Groveport, Ohio. Keith is a senior at Westerville North High School in Westerville, Ohio.

Christobal Saenz, son of Veronica and Glenn Scott Lee. Scott is a senior engineer in the Corpus Christi region reliability group at AEP Texas Central Company in Victoria, Texas. Chris is a senior at Victoria West High School in Victoria, Texas.

Austin Chandler Sparkman, son of Greg and Tina Sparkman. Greg is a field services supervisor at Kentucky Power Company in Hazard, Ky. Chandler is a senior at Letcher County Central High School in Whitesburg, Ky.

Zack St. John, son of Bryan and Katie St. John. Bryan is a principal information security specialist in Cyber Security Operations at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Zack is a senior at Hilliard Darby High School in Hilliard, Ohio.

Jake Stants, son of Joe and Cathy Stants. Joe is an engineer I in Distribution System Planning at the Benton Harbor Service Center in Benton Harbor, Mich. Jake is a senior at St. Joseph High School in St. Joseph, Michigan.

Adam Sullivan, son of Larry and Pam Sullivan. Larry is a manager in Accounting Operations in Canton, Ohio. Adam is a senior at Louisville High School in Louisville, Ohio.

Gavisha Waidyaratne, daughter of Ajith Waidyaratne and Sandya Liyanarachchi. Ajith is an Information Technology software developer in Columbus, Ohio. Gavisha is a senior at Dublin Coffman High School in Dublin, Ohio.

Trevor Walton, son of Kendal and Kathy Walton. Kendal is the Information Technology manager at AEP River Operations in Chesterfield, Mo. Trevor is a senior at Living Word Christian High School in O’Fallon, Mo.

Brooke Williams, daughter of Terry and Candy Williams. Terry is a lead engineer in Distribution System Planning in Roanoke, Va. Brooke is a senior at Lord Botetourt High School and The Roanoke Valley Governor’s School for Science and Technology.

Laura Wingfield, daughter of George and Julia Wingfield. George is a line inspector for Appalachian Power Company in Lynchburg, Va. Laura is a senior at Holy Cross Regional Catholic School in Lynchburg.

Anyi Xin, daughter of Chyi-Liing and Yuewen Yang. Chyi-Liing is a structural engineer in Engineering, Projects and Field Services at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Anyi is a senior at Jerome High School in Dublin, Ohio.