Batavia’s Riley Bainter receives P.E.O. STAR Scholarship

Riley Bainter, a senior at Batavia High School, was selected to receive a $2,500 STAR Scholarship from the P.E.O. Sisterhood.

She was recommended for her many “star” qualities by P.E.O., Chapter IR, of Lombard. Riley will be attending Illinois State University where she will be majoring in elementary education.

The competitive STAR Scholarship is for women who exhibit excellence in leadership, academics, extracurricular activities, community service, and potential for future success.

Not only did Riley demonstrate leadership by being named team captain of two sports at the high school, but she also showed leadership by being a facilitator and instructor for Batavia’s summer youth basketball camp for four years. She has served as a student ambassador for the school’s Link Crew.

Riley has made a positive impact on her community by actively volunteering for Feed My Starving Children, Northern Illinois Food Bank, and Blessings in a Backpack.

P.E.O. (Philanthropic Education Organization) has been celebrating women helping women reach for the “stars” for 156 years.

Since its inception in 1869, the nonprofit organization has helped more than 125,000 women pursue their educational goals by providing money in the form of grants, scholarships, awards and loans.

To learn more about P.E.O., its educational philanthropies, and the women who have benefited from its programs, visit peointernational.org.