Lila KnadlerThanks to the generous support of the Grant County community through their purchase of New Mexican grown pecans, two recent graduates of county high schools will each receive a $1,500 scholarship for the 2026-2027 academic year from the Chapter AG, P.E.O. Foundation Scholarship account. The annual fall pecan fundraiser has been a successful chapter project for over 60 years, enabling scores of young women to realize their educational goals.
This year's local scholarship recipients are Lila Knadler and Taylianna Castillo. Knadler graduated with honors from Aldo Leopold Charter School where she participated in the Youth Conservation Corps and the New Earth Project. At Silver High Lila was a soccer team member and varsity cheer team captain. She benefitted from working at Western New Mexico University's Child Development Center and enjoys her employment at June June's. She plans on studying Psychology at Northern Arizona University this fall.
As her Senior Class President and Homecoming Queen at Silver High School, Castillo has excelled in basketball at not only district and state levels but also nationally in NCAA competition. Tayli also was a valued member of the soccer and track and field teams. Her contributions to her school's athletic training program were well recognized. Having already concurrently completed an Associate's Degree at WNMU, Taylianna will be majoring in electro mechanical technology engineering and playing basketball at Northern New Mexico College.Thereafter she wants to pursue a degree in biomedical engineering at UNM.
Taylianna CastilloChapter AG additionally sponsors the WNMU Rhoades-Sechler Scholarship, honoring former, longtime university faculty and esteemed former Chapter AG members, Inez Rhoades and Hazel Sechler. Receiving this year's award is Olivia Zuniga, recent graduate of Cobre High School and Associate Degree recipient at Western. Having demonstrated success in the areas of academics, community service, leadership, and extracurricular activities, Olivia well merits this recognition.
To learn more about educational opportunities for women, visit www.nmpeo.org or peointernational.org
Olivia Zuniga
