Special to Long Beach Breeze
Arlene Nguyen, a senior at Long Beach High School (LBHS), was selected to receive a $2,500 STAR Scholarship from the P.E.O. Sisterhood. She was recommended by P.E.O. Chapter B of Long Beach. Nguyen is the daughter of Tu Nguyen and Kim Mac.
The P.E.O. STAR Scholarship was established in 2009 to provide scholarships for exceptional women in their final year of high school 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.
P.E.O. Chapter B says Nguyen has been very active in both her school and community. She ranked near the top of her graduating class and has earned award recognition in multiple subjects during her high school career. She has been recognized at the Superintendent’s Awards for each of her four years of high school and was selected for the LBHS Hall of Fame. Nguyen served in leadership positions in multiple school organizations and has been very active in both her church youth group and several community events, including Buddy Ball, Relay for Life and Camp Able. She was also a Girls State Delegate in 2023. She plans to attend the University of South Alabama.
“Arlene is pursuing a career in pediatric nursing, because of her love of children and her desire to help children receive medical care in a manner that will relieve their fears associated with the medical environment. With her quiet demeanor, her enthusiasm and her drive to accomplish tasks and goals, Arlene will be an asset in the medical field,” said STAR Scholarship Committee Chair Sarah Lowry.
Established in 1930, Chapter B of Long Beach serves as Mississippi’s second-oldest chapter, and currently hosts over fifty members. P.E.O. is a philanthropic educational organization and has been celebrating women helping women reach for the stars for more than 155 years. Since its inception in 1869, the nonprofit organization has helped more than 125,000 women pursue educational goals by providing approximately $432 million in grants, scholarships, awards and loans. The Sisterhood also owns and supports Cottey College in Nevada, Missouri. Through membership, the P.E.O. Sisterhood has brought together more than half a million women in the United States and Canada who are passionate about helping women advance through education while supporting and motivating them. In addition to the educational philanthropies, the P.E.O. Sisterhood provides a framework of support and community for all members.
What started with a bond of friendship among seven women in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, is now one of the oldest women’s organizations in North America with close to 5,500 chapters.
For more information about P.E.O., visit www.PEOInternational.org and PEOMississippi.org.
