Black Warrior EMC wants to continue supporting the career aspirations of its young people, and the co-op is putting time and money behind that effort. Alabama’s rural electric co-ops offer scholarships each year to deserving high school seniors through the Electric Cooperative Foundation, which evaluates the applications and awards scholarships to vocational and trade schools and four-year colleges/universities. The ECF awarded its first scholarship in 2001. Since that first year, ECF has awarded over 1,255 scholarships totaling over $1,318,250.00. ECF has received more than 16,840 applications, and each one is read and evaluated by a selection committee. To qualify, the student must be a graduating high school senior who is the dependent of a cooperative member. The money is awarded directly to the school of the student’s choosing. The ECF will award ten scholarships of $500 each, with one being designated for a student attending a vocational school. The award is good for four years and can be used for anything that can be purchased through the school – tuition, books, room and board, etc. Over the years, the ECF has sent scholarship money to 72 diverse institutions across the U.S.