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Congratulations to our 2025 winners! The 2026 scholarship application period will open in January 2026.
Lightner Community Spirit Scholarship
Victory Electric encourages high school seniors and current college students who are passionate about their communities to apply for one of 10 scholarships for $1,000. Victory Electric proudly sponsors the annual Lightner Community Spirit Scholarship program to recognize area scholars who have excelled academically while demonstrating a commitment to bettering their communities.
The name of the scholarship honors the Lightner family of Plymell, Kansas, who provided many years of dedicated service to Victory Electric. George Lightner served Victory Electric’s board of trustees for 31 years, and his son, Richard, served in that role for 36 years. Both strongly supported the cooperative’s community and youth programs.
“As a not-for-profit cooperative, one of our guiding principles is ‘Commitment to Community,’ and I can’t think of a better way than honoring students with scholarships to give back to our local communities,” said Shane Laws, Victory Electric CEO.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must be a dependent of an active cooperative member in good standing, have and maintain a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0-point scale, and be a current full-time student or entering an accredited trade school, college or university in fall 2025. Students may win only once, and the scholarship award is not renewable. Previous applicants are encouraged to apply again if they were not selected as a Lightner Community Spirit Scholarship winner.
How to Apply
To apply for a Lightner Community Spirit Scholarship, students will need to submit the following:
• Completed application form, including the Victory Electric account number of the applicant’s parent or guardian;
• Biographical statement introducing the applicant, educational goals, financial need and other information deemed important;
• Essay explaining how Victory Electric demonstrates the principle of “commitment to community” and sharing examples of how the applicant makes his or her community better;
• Headshot, including a copyright release if the photo was taken by a professional photographer; and
• Résumé listing school activities, clubs, awards, work experience and volunteer work; and
Please contact us at askcommunications@victoryelectric.net if you have any questions about the application process. Winners must agree to have a transcript sent directly to Victory Electric via mail or email by a counselor or other school official.
Application deadline is February 28.
The Victory Electric Cooperative Assn., Inc., will award ten $1,000 scholarships to its members or their dependents pursuing higher education.
- All applicants for the scholarship shall be considered on the application criteria without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin or existence of a physical handicap.
- Victory Electric personnel will review applications for completeness before submitting qualifying applications to an external selection committee of impartial judges. The judges will evaluate each applicant's resume, essay and application for grammar and spelling, academic ability, and contributions to their community to determine scholarship winners.
- Scholarships must be applied toward tuition and fees. Funds are paid directly to the college/university or trade school at the beginning of the fall semester upon presentation of proof of enrollment.
- All applications must be complete via the online application process.
- Winners will be asked to submit a transcript. The official transcript must be emailed directly to Victory Electric from a counselor or school official OR placed in a sealed envelope with the envelope flap signed by a school official and either mailed to Victory Electric or delivered to our office location.
- Scholarships are available to graduating high school seniors and current college students.
- Applicants must be a current student at or be entering an accredited college, university or trade school.
- Must be registered as a full-time student.
- Must be an active Victory Electric member in good standing or a dependent such member.
- Good standing is defined as “a member who paid the 12 most recent Victory Electric bills in which he/she is legally responsible or liable, without having been issued more than two termination notices.”
- Scholarships are for one year. An applicant may apply as often as desired but are only eligible to receive ONE Victory Electric scholarship.
- Must have and maintain at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale