Pictured left is Lori McLain with her daughter Presley McLain. Presley was awarded the P.E.O. 2025-2026 STAR Scholarship for $2,500. Also, pictured right is Destiny Juarez with her mother Monica Loewen. Destiny was awarded a $1,000 scholarship from the P. E.O. Sisterhood. Photo credit Jan Lee and Lori McLain.

By Jan Lee

On Wednesday, May 28th, 2025, at the Fillmore High Senior Awards Night, the P.E.O. Sisterhood is one of the largest community-based women’s organizations in North America with almost 250,00 members. Our organization provides loans, grants and scholarships to women through its six philanthropies. We are committed to helping women achieve their educational goals.

Each year, chapter GY, Fillmore, holds fund raisers to procure money to give to women seeking further education. There are many deserving graduating seniors in the Fillmore Unified School District. This year we are giving a $1,000 scholarship to Destiny Juarez. She will be studying psychology at the university level with the goal of becoming a clinical psychologist. We wish her much success.

The P.E.O. STAR Scholarship recognizes the accomplishments of graduating high school young women planning to pursue post-secondary education. This candidate is nominated by the local chapter then selected by the P.E.O. STAR Scholarship Board of Trustees of International Chapter who read the applications from outstanding young women from all over the United States and Canada. The STAR Board chose to honor Presley McLain with one of the 2025-2026 $2,500 scholarships. She will study business and marketing. Presley was selected because she has demonstrated excellence in leadership, extracurricular activities, community service, academics and potential for success.

We extend to both of these outstanding students our congratulations on their character and accomplishments. To all the Class of 2025 we say, make us proud! Your family, teachers and staff (from TK to seniors) have invested years to get you where you are. You are our future!