McMinn Central’s Tyler B. McElhaney
Awarded TVA Power Distributors Scholarship

(May 20, 2002) - Tyler B. McElhaney of Central High School of McMinn County has been awarded a $4,000 college scholarship from TVA and the Athens Utilities Board through the TVA Power Distributors Scholarship Program.

One of 25 scholarship winners chosen from 120 applicants, Tyler has a 3.96 grade point average and plans to attend Hiwassee College. He is the son of Jim E. McElhaney, who is an employee of the Athens Utilities Board.

TVA and the 158 distributors of TVA power created the scholarship program in 1995 for the children of distributors’ employees to encourage students to excel and to recognize the strength of the partnerships between TV and distributors of TVA electricity. The program has provided $332,000 in scholarships to 100 graduating high school seniors over the past seven years.

Power distributors conduct an annual golf tournament to raise funds for the program. The success of these fund-raising efforts has allowed the program to more than double the scholarship benefits provided to graduating seniors, growing from $20,000 in scholarships for 10 students in 1996 to $100,000 awarded to 25 students in 2002. A panel of college professors from across the Tennessee Valley selects the recipients.

TVA is the nation’s largest public power producer, and its power system is self financed. TVA provides power to large industries and 158 power distributors that serve 8.3 million consumers in seven southeastern states.