RITZVILLE — Big Bend Electric Cooperative announced their three scholarship winners for 2019 in a press release on Thursday, March 21. Winners will receive $500 a year for up to four years.

This year’s recipients are Talmage Hales, Lacey Miller and Natalee Pickel. Hales attends Chiawana High School and is the son of James and Makala Hales of Pasco. Miller is the daughter of Mike and Marci Miller of Ritzville and attends Lind-Ritzville High School. Pickel attends Connell High School and is the daughter of Andy and Melissa Pickel of Connell.

Students receiving the scholarships must have a grade point average of 2.5 or higher and must submit a 500- to 600-word essay on the topic of the year. This year’s topic was on the importance of Snake River dams and hydropower in the northwest, according to the scholarship application. Students school and community activities, as well as honors, awards and work history, were taken into consideration. All students who applied had to live in the Big Bend Electric Cooperative service area.

This year’s scholarship winners were introduced at the 80th annual meeting for the Big Bend Electric Cooperative, held on Feb. 23. There, the winners read their scholarship essays.

Two other students were introduced at the annual meeting. Katheran Gingrich and Alexis Simmons, both juniors, will be participating in the NRECA Youth Tour in Washington D.C. in June. Gingrich attends Lind-Ritzville High School. Her parents are Bo and Janna Gingrich. Simmons attends Othello High School. Her parents are Robert and Sheila Simmons.