Lorain-Medina Rural Electric selected Nicholas Laposky of Wellington High School and Lillian Dowdell of St. Paul High School as the 2020 Children of Members Scholarship first-place winners.

Each will receive $3,000 toward their college education after graduation. As the top overall applicant, Dowdell will also participate in a statewide contest, held by Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives in Columbus, competing against representatives from Ohio’s 23 other electric cooperatives for a chance to win up to $3,800 in additional scholarships.

Dowdell is the daughter of Paul and Laura Dowdell of Rochester. She plans to pursue a degree in business marketing or accounting after graduation. Laposky is the son of Sue and Ken Laposky of Wellington and intends to major in education with a focus on high school comprehensive science. Both students are highly active in school and community groups, including 4-H,

National Honor Society, sports, and various leadership roles. Second-place winners of $2,000 each are Jakob Yarosh of Mapleton High School and Alexis Starner of Wellington High School. Yarosh is the son of Matthew and Christine Yarosh of Nova. He plans to study exercise science or psychology following graduation. Starner is the daughter of Ezra and Rebecca Starner of Wellington and plans to pursue a degree in biology and biomedical engineering.

Nicholas Martinelli of Wellington High School is the first winner of the cooperative’s Trade Scholarship, introduced this year to children of LMRE members who plan on pursuing further education after high school at a vocational school or technical college. Martinelli, who plans on pursuing EMS and fire training after graduation, will receive a $500 scholarship.

LMRE offers the scholarship contest annually to graduating high school seniors who reside in a home served by the cooperative. This year, LMRE received applications from students attending First Baptist Christian School, Buckeye, Black River, Cloverleaf, Keystone, Mapleton, Midview, New London, Norwayne, Oberlin, St. Paul, and Wellington high schools.