Where are they now? We caught up with previous scholarship winners.
Each year, Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative (PSREC) and Plumas-Sierra Telecommunications (PST) offer 2 $1,000 scholarships to students in the local community whose homes are within our electric or internet service areas. Over time, we revisit past winners and their academic journeys to reflect on the impact of continued education on their lives. We followed up with 2022 winners, Kayla Thackeray and Abby Klemesrud, to see what they are up to now.
Kayla Thackeray
Growing up in Quincy, California, Kayla’s main hobbies revolved around sports—from playing basketball and softball to regularly watching sporting events with her family.
“As I got older, my love for sports continued, but I also developed interests in reading, outdoor activities, leadership roles, and organizing events and parties,” Kayla says. “These hobbies helped me realize how important it is to be passionate about what you do, whether it is a hobby or a career. Although if you asked my parents, they would say arguing has always been a hobby of mine, which directly translated into my path toward law school.”
In 2020 and 2021, wildfires heavily impacted her immediate area, along with many others, and Kayla witnessed those around her uniting in ways she believes best reflect rural communities.
“This sense of unity is something you do not often see in big cities, but it thrives in small communities where people truly care about one another,” she says. “During this time, I also saw how important legal relief was for our community, which furthered my passion to pursue a career as an attorney where my knowledge and skills could help people.”
Kayla graduated from Quincy Junior-Senior High School in 2022 and left home to attend Arizona State University where she pursued a degree in psychology. She enjoyed being involved in the student section at sporting events and was a member of the university student government.
Outside of academics, Kayla worked as a respite care provider, helping children with learning disabilities. After 2 and a half years at ASU, she graduated with her bachelor’s degree and applied to law school. She began her first year at McGeorge School of Law in fall 2025, where she is a student representative for sports law and has the opportunity to participate in the Mock Trial program.
“Law school has been the most challenging yet rewarding experience, and I truly enjoy it,” Kayla says. “My plans for the future are to complete law school, pass the bar exam and find a career that allows me to help others.”
Abby Klemesrud
Abby grew up in Graeagle, California, where she lived until she graduated from Portola Junior-Senior High School in 2021.
Throughout her childhood and into early adulthood, she enjoyed playing sports, mainly volleyball, basketball, and softball. Her love of athletics taught her more than x’s and o’s on the court. It taught her the importance of caring for others, on and off the field. Growing up in a small town, she felt called to teach.
“I believe that growing up in a rural community influenced me in caring for those around me,” Abby says. “I wanted to become a role model in the community that helps others, and I saw this in my teachers. I hope to be a kind, supportive teacher for my future students 1 day.”
Abby graduated from California Polytechnic State University in June 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a minor in child development. She also earned a master’s degree in special education and her education specialist teaching credential for mild/moderate disabilities in June 2025.
Abby participated in a multitude of intramural sports teams, clubs, and volunteering opportunities, notably through the special needs ministry at her church.
“I completed my student teaching for the 2024 to 2025 school year at an elementary school in San Luis Obispo,” she says. “I am currently working toward my multiple subject credentials for grades K through 6 and will complete my student teaching hours at CRC in Portola.”
Abby says 1 of her biggest influences in choosing this career path is her mother.
“She has been a teacher for over 24 years, in special education and general education alike,” she says. “Working in her classroom was 1 of my favorite parts of growing up. I was also lucky enough to have an incredible teacher to complete my student teaching under. She has supported me in numerous ways and taught me valuable lessons on being a great teacher.”
Abby hopes to eventually teach elementary special education students.
“As for the next few years, I am hoping to travel and move somewhere new before settling down,” she says.