Homeschool benefits and savings in Crook County
Strata Energy's Community Energy Scholarship pays $2,000 a year, up to $8,000, to a Crook County graduate entering a STEM (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) degree, and its Opportunity Scholarship pays $500 toward any field. Graduates of a Crook County home-school program can apply; mail the application by April 30.
Who qualifies
Graduates in Crook County
Your student must earn a diploma from an accredited Crook County high school or a Crook County home-school program; Strata's web page describes the home-school program as accredited. GEDs may be accepted case by case.
Is a Wyoming resident
The applicant must be a legal resident of Wyoming, and the form asks how long they have lived in Crook County.
Enrolls in an eligible program
The Community Energy Scholarship requires a STEM degree at an accredited university or community college. The Opportunity Scholarship allows any field at an accredited trade school, community college, or university.
Meets recommended academics
Strata recommends a 2.5 cumulative GPA plus an ACT of 24 or SAT of 1200 for Community Energy, or an ACT of 22 or SAT of 1000 for Opportunity. Students below those marks are encouraged to apply.
What it is worth
Strata's 2026 application packets set $2,000 per academic year, up to $8,000, for the Community Energy Scholarship and $500 for the Opportunity Scholarship.
- Community Energy, one academic year
- $2,000
- Community Energy, two years
- $4,000
- Community Energy, four years
- $8,000
- Opportunity Scholarship
- $500
Both forms require a school official to verify GPA and test scores with a signature and seal, so ask Strata who can sign for a home-school graduate before April.
From applying to keeping it
- Senior year
Download the packet
Each scholarship has its own criteria and application form on Strata's scholarship page.
- Before you mail it
Write the essays
Community Energy asks for two essays of 250 words or more, one on STEM career interests and one on accomplishments, hobbies, and goals. Opportunity asks for one essay of 250 words or more.
- By April 30
Mail the application
Send it to Strata Energy Inc, attention Community Energy Scholarship or Opportunity Scholarship, 2929 New Haven Road, Oshoto, WY 82721.
- Each semester
Report progress
Community Energy recipients do not reapply but send an academic progress report every semester and reaffirm enrollment in a STEM program.
- If your student finishes early
Use the rest for graduate school
If the undergraduate degree takes less than four years, Strata may apply the remaining Community Energy money to a graduate program, decided case by case.
What it pays for
Covered
- STEM degrees at an accredited university or community college
- Graduate study, case by case, after an early undergraduate finish
Not covered
- Non-STEM degrees under the Community Energy Scholarship
- Applicants who do not finish their diploma
Strata does not limit the money to tuition; the application asks what other aid your student expects and what share of tuition, books, and room and board they will pay themselves.
Strata adds one new Community Energy recipient a year, up to four students at a time, and gives one Opportunity Scholarship a year.
Good to know
Homeschool graduates can apply
Both scholarships name Crook County home-school programs alongside high schools. Strata's page uses the phrase "accredited home-school program," so ask Strata how it confirms your program before you apply.
Who to contact
Strata Energy's office in Oshoto receives the scholarship applications and is the contact the company lists.
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Wyoming
To withdraw a child under 18, a parent, guardian, or other responsible person must meet in person with a school counselor or administrator and give written consent. This does not apply if the district was already told the child will enroll in another district, a private school, or a home-based program. Since July 1, 2025, families no longer submit curriculum to the district.
Wyoming sets these rules:
- Subjects: Provide a sequentially progressive curriculum in reading, writing, mathematics, civics, history, literature, and science.
- Testing: Wyoming does not require a statewide standardized test for homeschoolers.
- Records: No routine state portfolio filing is required; keep the withdrawal record and evidence of subject coverage.
- Teachers: No state homeschool-parent credential is required.
Wyoming also has an education savings account that home-educated students can use.
- The Wyoming Education Savings Account pays $7,000 a year to residents ages 4 through grade 12 who are not enrolled in public school. The 2026-27 cycle is closed, and students must cover the core subjects and take an assessment.
Read the Wyoming homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Wyoming
Questions parents ask
- Does my student have to reapply every year for the $8,000 Strata award?
- No. Community Energy recipients keep the award by turning in a progress report each semester showing satisfactory academic progress in a STEM program.
- My student's GPA or test score is below the recommended level. Is it worth applying?
- Yes. Strata decides on all-around candidacy rather than academics alone and encourages students who meet every other rule to apply.
- Can my student use the Opportunity Scholarship for a trade school?
- Yes. It is open to any field of study at an accredited trade school, community college, or university.
- What happens if my student wins but does not graduate?
- The award is forfeited and goes to another applicant. Strata may choose a winner before graduation, but the diploma requirement still has to be met.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
Each grant limits the expenses it covers. Where curriculum is eligible, it can pay for the teaching and feedback your child receives in our courses.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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