By Staff
special to the standard
Southern Pine Electric Cooperative recently named Tyler Hochstetler as the 2009 recipient of the co-op’s annual $ 1,000 college scholarship.
The scholarship was provided through the Electric Cooperative Foundation Scholarship program created by the electric cooperatives of Alabama in 1997.
The purpose of the program is to provide scholarships for post-secondary and vocational education for qualifying high school seniors.
Depen-dents of members of participating cooperatives, such as Southern Pine Electric Cooperative, are eligible to apply for the scholarships. This is the ninth year  scholarships have been awarded from the fund.
Hochstetler is the 17-year-old son of Jim and Carol Hochstetler of Atmore. He has been homeschooled for the past nine years through Precept Christian School’s Homeschool Department.
The scholarship recipient is an avid hunter and outdoorsman. He is dually-enrolled at Jefferson Davis Community College where he intends to continue his studys required to obtain a criminal justice degree.
Although uncertain of his plans after graduating from Jefferson Davis Community College, Hochstetler is considering furthering his mission work. He has be actively involved in mission work for a number of years.
Southern Pine Electric Cooperative, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative, is a member-owned distribution co-op serving over 20,000 accounts in portions of Baldwin, Conecuh, Covington, Escambia and Monroe counties in Alabama. The co-op is headquartered in Brewton with district offices in Atmore, Evergreen and Frisco City.