Two young valley women were awarded P.E.O. scholarships this month, sponsored by local chapter DZ, whose members turned out to congratulate them and wish them future success.

Fountain Hills resident Audrey Ennis won the $2,500 P.E.O. STAR Scholarship award which recognizes the accomplishments of graduating high school women based on leadership, scholarship and potential for future success. Audrey graduated in May from Scottsdale Basis High School and is enrolled for the fall semester in Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colo., to pursue her degree in Chemical and Humanitarian Engineering. DeDe Rudolphy, STAR Scholarship chair, presented her award.

High school senior RyLee Williams of Gilbert won the Arizona Dawson Fund Scholarship to attend P.E.O.’s Cottey College Summer Leadership Program in Nevada, Mo. RyLee currently is in National Honor Society and student government. At Cottey, she will attend academic and leadership sessions designed to enhance leadership, networking, and service learning experiences. Founded in 1884, Cottey College is a four-year, private liberal arts and sciences college for women. Nancy Patterson, Cottey College chair, presented her award.

P.E.O. Sisterhood International is a philanthropic education organization founded in 1869 at Iowa Wesleyan College. Current membership is 25,000 women in 6,000 local chapters in the United States and Canada. It has provided more than $300 million in financial aid to 99,000 women around the world from college freshmen to doctoral recipients.

Fountain Hills Chapter DZ contact is President Kelley Deiley, who can be reached at FountainHillsPEO@gmail.com