Education Aid Available for Women
October 2, 2018 — The Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O.) is offering scholarships and low-cost educational loans for young women. The organization is also planning a mother-daughter fundraising fashion show on November 4.
P.E.O. is now accepting applications for STAR scholarships, which are awarded to female high school seniors who demonstrate outstanding leadership, academic achievement, and community service. Two years ago, a Weston High School graduate was awarded a P.E.O. STAR scholarship of $2,500.
Applications are also being accepted for a P.E.O. Educational Loan, a revolving fund that lends up to $20,000 at a 2 percent interest rate to help qualified women pursue a higher education.
P.E.O. Scholar Awards grant up to $15,000 to women who are pursuing a doctoral level degree or are engaged in postdoctoral research at an accredited college, university or institution.
Finally, the P.E.O. Program for Continuing Education offers up to $3,000 to women whose education has been interrupted and who find it necessary to resume studies due to changing demands in their lives. They must have a need for financial assistance with their educational expenses to improve their marketable skills. In 2017, Weston's P.E.O. chapter was able to provide a $3,000 loan to a local woman pursuing her degree in social work.
Application deadlines vary for these programs. To learn more about applying, email P.E.O. Chapter P of Weston at peochapterpct@gmail.com.
November 4 Mother-Daughter Fashion Show
P.E.O.'s Weston chapter will present its first annual fashion show, "Walk the Runway," on Sunday afternoon, November 4 from 2:00 to 5:00. It will take place in the Parish Hall at Norfield Congregational Church.
Tickets for the event are $35 for adults and $10 for students. Proceeds will benefit the chapter's scholarship fund for high school girls.
"Walk the Runway" will feature local mothers and daughters who will model the latest fashions from Scout & Molly's in Westport, Snappy Gator in Fairfield and Wilton, and Southern Tide/Splash of Pink in Westport. The event includes a catered afternoon tea.
For information and tickets, contact Anne Troxell by email at troxellanne@optonline.net.
About P.E.O.
The P.E.O. Sisterhood was founded in 1869 at Iowa Wesleyan College. P.E.O. is now international in scope with more than 7,800 chapters and over 250,000 members. In Connecticut, there are 34 chapters and 1,200 members. P.E.O. has six primary philanthropic projects that focus on providing women of all ages with financial support to pursue their educational dreams, whether they are headed to college for the first time or continuing their education later in life. To date, P.E.O., as a whole, has awarded more than $304 million to more than 102,000 women from the organization's six educational philanthropies. For more information, visit www.peointernational.org.