P.E.O. awards education grants to area women

Four women recently received grants from P.E.O. International. LaShawn Draper of Dover, Kathryn Cieniewicz of Lewes, Ariel Neumann of Providence, R.I. who has close friends in Rehoboth, and Adriana Pizzadili of Baltimore, whose mother lives in Rehoboth, were each sponsored by P.E.O. Chapter L, Lewes.

The grants assisted these women in reaching their educational goals. Draper earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. Cieniewicz is now a licensed physical therapist and completed coursework to become a certified environmental access consultant. Neumann is pursuing a master's in educational reform at Brown University. Pizzadili has become a school psychologist after earning her master's degree at Towson University.

The P.E.O. Sisterhood, founded Jan. 21, 1869, at Iowa Wesleyan College in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, is a philanthropic and educational organization interested in bringing women increased opportunities for higher education. There are approximately 6,000 local chapters in the United States and Canada with nearly 250,000 active members. Chapter L was organized in Lewes in May 1999.

For more information, call Chapter L President Suellen Gallamore at 302-227-1304 or go to www.peointernational.org.