$60,000 awarded to Madill High School senior Mia Laird to help her pursue her dreams and cover the cost of attending University of Oklahoma this coming fall.

"I've just always had an interest with nature and the environment and wanting to conserve everything and it's just been a dream of mine to help with all of that," Laid said.

Law makers, OG&E staff, school administrators, students, friends and family gathered to surprise laird with the news.

The Positive Energy Scholarship is awarded to three graduating high school students a year in OG&E's coverage area across Oklahoma and Arkansas.

Three students a year are selected and awarded $15,000 per year for up to four years to pay for students attending college in Oklahoma or Arkansas.

"Students pursuing a stem career, it's important from us from a workforce development perspective, to invest in folks who want to pursue stem," said Christi Woodworth, OG&E Vice President of Marketing and Communications.

Established in 2019, the goal is lift the financial stress off students pursuing a stem degree, hoping they come back and work in the field.

"Building the workforce of tomorrow is incredibly important for us, we want young people to stay in school, to go to college in Oklahoma and Arkansas, and we want them to stay in Oklahoma and Arkansas to go to work," Woodworth said.

For more information about the scholarship and how you can apply, click here.