Community involvement matters and what might seem like a small gesture can have enormous impact, such as contributing money to a college scholarship program.

AVEK Directors, at their February 13, 2024, board meeting approved renaming the AVEK Water Sciences Scholarship Endowment and Annual Scholarship Awards to the AVEK Director Justin G. Lane Memorial Scholarship Endowment and Annual Scholarship Awards.

Exactly four years ago, in February 2020, Directors approved a contribution of $25,000 to the Antelope Valley College (AVC) Foundation’s Scholarship Endowment Fund. Initially the scholarships were intended for students taking water-related courses in hopes that they would pursue careers in the water supply field. Through that Endowment, AVEK is able to award scholarships on an annual basis in perpetuity.

When the Endowment was established, AVEK Director Justin Lane was chairman of AVEK’s Public Information Committee and a driving force behind this initiative.

The Public Information and Customer Relations Committee recommended posthumously honoring his memory, dedication, and steadfast commitment to supporting education and career opportunities for community students.

This year, to increase the candidate pool. AVEK expanded scholarship award criteria to include students majoring in engineering  and had 18 eligible applicants. AVEK will award three of these students with $1,000 scholarships for the 2024 / 2025 Academic Year.