NEW ORLEANS (Aug. 11, 2021) – Benjamin Franklin High School, in
partnership with the Philanthropic Educational Organization, or PEO, is
pleased to share that Ava Wilkes ’21 was awarded the $2,500 PEO STAR
Scholarship.
The PEO STAR Scholarship was established in 2009 to provide
scholarships for exceptional high school senior women to attend an
accredited postsecondary educational institution in the U.S. or Canada in
the next academic year. The competitive STAR Scholarship is for women
who exhibit excellence in leadership, academics, extracurricular activities,
community service, and potential for future success.
Due to COVID restrictions, Wilkes couldn’t receive the honor at BFHS
graduation, but the PEO and BFHS administration celebrated her
accomplishment with a small ceremony at the school on Aug. 7.
Wilkes, a National Merit Finalist and a U.S. Presidential Scholar candidate,
also was the school’s Student of the Year and a state Student of the Year
finalist. In addition to playing soccer and tennis, she served on the Mayor’s
Youth Advisory Council and as a volunteer tutor and
homeroom representative. She also was a member of the DoSomething
Club and the National Honor Society. A straight-A student who took a full
load of AP classes senior year, Wilkes speaks both French and Chinese and
made a perfect 36 on her ACT. She will be attending Washington and Lee
University this fall.
For more information, please contact Eve Peyton at (504) 503-0062
or epeyton@bfhsla.org.
About Benjamin Franklin High School
Benjamin Franklin High School, New Orleans’ most outstanding
public charter school, has been preparing students for success through
academic achievement since its founding in 1957. Consistently ranked as a
“top public high school in the nation” by U.S. News & World Report,
Newsweek, and Business Week, Franklin has received the highest School
Performance School in Louisiana, making it the No. 1 public school in the
state, year after year. Ben Franklin is repeatedly named a National Blue
Ribbon School, producing Presidential and National Merit Scholars each
year. The exceptional students, faculty, and staff at Ben Franklin are the
best and the brightest in New Orleans. For more information, please visit
bfhsla.org.
About Philanthropic Educational Organization
Philanthropic Educational Organization has been celebrating women
helping women reach for the stars for more than 150 years. Since its
inception in 1869, the nonprofit organization has helped more than
116,000 women pursue educational goals by providing more than $383
million in grants, scholarships, awards, and loans. The Sisterhood also
owns and supports Cottey College. Through membership, the PEO
Sisterhood has brought together more than half a million women in the
U.S. and Canada who are passionate about helping women advance
through education while supporting and motivating them. In addition to
the educational philanthropies, the PEO Sisterhood provides a framework
of support and community for all members. It started as a bond of
friendship among seven women in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, and is now one of
the oldest women’s organizations in North America with close to 6,000
chapters. To learn more about PEO, please visit peointernational.org
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