Katon Elijah of Chilton County was selected by Central Alabama Community Foundation as the first ever recipient of the 2022 Central Alabama Electric Cooperative (CAEC) Lineman Scholarship in the amount of $5,000. The son of Gary Elijah and Donnie and Tammy Hand, he was awarded the scholarship during a ceremony at the CAEC headquarters in Prattville on May 24.

Elijah is graduating from Chilton County High School where he is a member of the Student Government Association, Beta Club and National Honor Society. He will graduate with a GPA of 4.26. He also participated in Varsity Baseball and is part of the Clanton First Baptist Youth Group. Elijah has been accepted and will begin his training at the Southeast Lineman Training Center in Trenton, Ga., this September.

“We are thrilled to have a deserving young man, such as Katon, to be the first recipient of our Lineman Scholarship,” said Tom Stackhouse, CAEC President and CEO. “The profession of lineman is one not everyone is ready to take on, but Katon is up to the challenge and we are proud to aid him in his future goals and career.”

Created to help those who desire to take this career path, Central Alabama Electric Cooperative has established the CAEC Lineman Scholarship for persons who are seeking training to become an electrical line worker and meet the eligibility requirements. One award of up to $5,000 will be made annually.

Applications for the CAEC Lineman Scholarship are available each December and close the following March with the scholarship being awarded in May.

To learn more about the CAEC Lineman Scholarship Program or to donate to the fund, visit https://caec.coop/community-enrichment/caec-lineman-scholarship-fund.