From West Plains Bank and Trust Company:
West Plains, Mo. – West Plains Bank and Trust Company employees have selected six area high school seniors to each receive one-time $2,000 scholarships. The funds are made possible by bank employees who pay $2 each Friday for the privilege of wearing jeans to work.
According to West Plains Bank and Trust Company President/CEO David M. Gohn, the program is a way that employees themselves give back to their communities. “I am especially proud of our team for recognizing the importance of supporting the next generation of community leaders by contributing to the scholarship program,” he said. “While the bank regularly pours back into local communities, this program is funded entirely by our employees.”
The program, which began in 2014, seeks to support those interested in a banking career or a related field and uses the following criteria in selecting scholarship recipients:
- Applicants must be high school seniors in communities where West Plains Bank and Trust Company branches are located.
- Applicants must exhibit academic achievement, extracurricular involvement and/or economic need.
- Students should be planning to enroll in a full-time course of study.
- Applications must be complete, including all requested attachments, and be signed by a school guidance counselor.
West Plains Senior High School Recipients:
- Chase Larsen – attending the University of Missouri – Columbia to pursue a degree in finance; son of Don and Rachael Larsen, West Plains, Mo.
- Peyton Reynolds – attending either Ozarks Technical College or Missouri State University in Springfield, Mo., to pursue a radiologic technology degree; son of Jeremy and Courtney Reynolds, West Plains, Mo.
- Addison Finley – attending the University of Mississippi, Oxford, Miss., to pursue a degree in psychology; daughter of Jared and Tracy Finley, West Plains, Mo.
Willow Springs High School Recipient:
- Jackson Lee – attending Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla., to pursue a degree in Wildlife Management with a minor in business; son of Shane and Sabrina Lee, Willow Springs, Mo.
Liberty High School Recipient:
- Ashlynn Henry – attending Evangel University in Springfield, Mo., to pursue a degree in business; daughter of Tracy Henry, Mountain View, Mo.
Houston High School Recipient:
- Makinley Aaron – attending East Central Community College in Union, Mo., to pursue a degree in pre-veterinary medicine; daughter of Conaley and Jessica Aaron, Houston, Mo.
West Plains Bank and Trust Company is the oldest continually operated business in the area. The bank has grown to include seven branches in Missouri and a loan production office in Mountain Home, Ark., with assets totaling $694 Million.
For additional information regarding the West Plains Bank and Trust Company Employee Scholarship Program or bank products and services, visit www.westplainsbank.com or call the Customer Call Center at 417.256.2147.
