Rolling Meadows High grad earns P.E.O. STAR Scholarship
P.E.O. Chapter FW presented the P.E.O. STAR Scholarship for the 2020-2021 academic year to Susannah Holifield Wednesday, June 17, outside her Arlington Heights home. Mary Mayer, P.E.O. Chapter FW Star Scholarship chairwoman, presented the award.
Members of P.E.O. Chapter FW could not have a meeting to honor Holifield because of current COVID-19 restrictions. However, a surprise "drive by and honk" parade and chapter members standing apart with masks in front of Holifield's home still allowed them to celebrate her accomplishments.
During her years at Rolling Meadows High School, Holifield participated in numerous volunteer activities through her school, church and community. She was co-captain of the Rolling Meadows High School Girls Basketball team and named All-Conference and All-Area Girls Basketball.
Holifield graduated May 20 with Highest Honors from Rolling Meadows High School via a virtual graduation ceremony. She is the daughter of Michele Holifield of Arlington Heights.
P.E.O. Chapter FW of Arlington Heights recommended Holifield for the scholarship. She has been accepted and will attend the Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing at Saint Louis University. She is excited that St. Louis University plans to open mid-August in order to finish the first semester by Thanksgiving. Students will return later in the spring in case there might be a spike in COVID-19 during the winter.
Holifield wants to pursue nursing to combine her passion for helping others with her interest in learning about health science.
"Nurses are a big part of someone's life when they are sick and can make such a difference in that person's life through their connection with them," Holifield said.
She would like to work in a children's hospital one day and also go on mission trips to different countries to use her nursing skills to help people globally.
The P.E.O. STAR Scholarship is a $2,500 scholarship based on excellence in leadership, extracurricular activities, community service, academics and potential for future success.
The program is open to young women who are citizens or legal permanent residents of the U.S. or Canada and who are graduating high school seniors at the time of application. A student must be recommended by a P.E.O. Chapter. There are almost 6,000 P.E.O. chapters throughout the United States and Canada.
The P.E.O. Sisterhood, founded in 1869 at Iowa Wesleyan College, is an international philanthropic and educational organization, which promotes increased educational opportunities for women.
For more information, contact Mary Mayer, Chapter FW, at mmayerpeochapterfw@gmail.com or visit peointernational.org.