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Kayla Bell, a high-school senior attending Bertie Early College High School (BECHS), is the recipient of the 2023 Roanoke Cooperative Scholarship. She joins a high-achieving community of students who have received awards from the cooperative.

Bell, who resides in Aulander, will attend N.C. State University in the fall where she will major in engineering.

The $1,000 scholarship is awarded annually to an exceptional high school senior who demonstrates an understanding of the cooperative way of doing business and who exhibits outstanding scholastic and leadership abilities in their school and community.

During her four-year high school career, Bell has made the principals list every year and has been a member of Future Farmers of America. She also is a member of the Beta Club, an academic service club, and devotes much of her time to volunteering, such as improving a local middle school’s grounds by planting flowers. She even helps out at the Good Shepherd Food Pantry twice a month on the weekends.

Among her many achievements and activities, Bell is also a proud member of her high school band.

“Kayla Bell is a hard worker,” said Sharon Tann, school counselor at BECHS. “She perseveres in her studies and volunteers in her community. She is truly a well-rounded student. I am really proud of Kayla.”

In her free time, Bell expresses her creative inclinations through the hobby of crocheting.

“I have learned how to create intricate objects like an octopus and a bottle holder with straps,” said Bell. “It’s an intriguing way to escape from day-to-day stresses and activities.”

As a student fully committed to serving her community, she appreciates that Roanoke Cooperative also shares in her civic-mindedness.

“Co-ops are amazing because they cooperate with one another for the benefit of their members, ” said Bell. “With the ability to introduce additional services that will enhance the quality of life for thousands of people, Roanoke Cooperative has been an incredible benefit in the lives of many people by providing essential power, internet, and other services.”

The Roanoke Cooperative scholarship was established to help aspiring high-school students with limited resources attend college and learn more about the electric cooperative business model. Students whose parents or guardians of Roanoke Cooperative are eligible to apply every year in the spring.

Roanoke Cooperative provides service to 14,500 members in Bertie, Hertford, Halifax, Northampton, Gates, Perquimans, and Chowan counties. Chartered in 1938 to provide light and power to farms, the co-op today serves as an engine of economic development and provides educational, recreational, and community assistance services to enhance the quality of life of its member-owners throughout the diverse communities it serves.