Jan Bateman Willenborg Memorial Scholarship awarded to St. Charles East student

P.E.O. Chapter OB-St. Charles recently awarded the Jan Bateman Willenborg Memorial Scholarship to Ava Abbott of St. Charles.

Ava attended St. Charles East High School and was selected from 35 candidates from Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles North, and East high schools.

The scholarship was established in 2020 by the Willenborg family, after the death of Jan WIllenborg, a beloved past member and president of P.E.O. Chapter OB.

Ava has been accepted to Hope College in Michigan and plans to major in early education and Spanish. She aspires to be an educator with the opportunity to directly influence students' lives and make a positive impact on them. Ava was a member of the National Honor Society for four years, an Academic All-Conference recipient for three years, and team captain of the girls cross country team for two years.

While attending high school, Ava worked 18 to 35 hours per week as a cake decorator and bakery assistant, a tennis instructor, and a math tutor. In addition, she participated in many community service activities.

P.E.O. (Philanthropic Education Organization) offers women opportunities for higher education and has helped over 116,000 women pursue educational goals by providing over $383 million in grants, scholarships, awards, and loans. In addition to educational philanthropies, the P.E.O. Sisterhood provides a framework of support and community for all members.

To learn more about P.E.O., visit peointernational.org.