Tenaris is introducing an annual scholarship, the Student of the Year, to its current education-based programs in Blytheville, Arkansas, as well as expanding the reach of its Merit Awards from one to four area high schools.
The Student of the Year is a $20,000 scholarship awarded over the course of four years. Graduating high school seniors who meet GPA requirements, are pursing a four year college degree and are majoring in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) field, among other criteria, will be considered for the annual scholarship.
The Merit Awards, which previously included Blytheville High School, will now include eligible juniors and seniors from Armorel, Gosnell and KIPP high schools, too. Junior recipients will receive a $750 award and seniors will be awarded $1,500.
“Education fosters development, growth and connects students to valuable opportunities to realize their goals,” said Luca Zanotti, Tenaris President, USA. “Through these scholarship programs, we want to reach more students and encourage them to pursue higher education.”
Tenaris first launched the Merit Awards in Blytheville during the 2014-2015 school year. It’s one of the company’s oldest global community programs. Education and training are cornerstone values of Tenaris, both inside and outside of the company, serving as a central focus of its community development programs around the world. In 2017, Tenaris invested $9.5 million USD in community-based programs, including educational initiatives, in the communities where its employees live and work.
“These awards push us further into the community, increases awareness of the programs and its benefits while recognizing the achievements of the students,” said Tracey Ritchey, Community Relations Representative at TenarisHickman and 25-year long employee of the company.
The first Student of the Year in Hickman, and the Merit Award recipients, will be announced on May 8.
To date, Tenaris has invested approximately $2.6 million in education and support for the arts in Mississippi County since 2010, including: the Academic Excellence Afterschool Program for grades K-5; Merit Awards; donations and volunteer assistance with Arkansas Northeastern College, as well as support for the development of technical education programs and equipment needs; and sponsorships with the Arts Council of Mississippi County/Ritz Civic Center.
Tenaris’s plant in Hickman, Arkansas, is celebrating 25 years of operations, serving the domestic industry with high quality welded OCTG and line pipe products.