High school juniors from across Intercounty Electric’s service territory met Saturday in Licking to compete for an all-expense-paid trip to Washington D.C. as part of the annual Youth Tour Essay Contest.
One by one, each student was interviewed on topics relating to rural electric cooperatives and Intercounty. Each school submitted their top three essay winners to compete. One student from each school won the trip to Washington D.C and the two runners-up received an all-expenses-paid trip to a leadership conference in Jefferson City.
First-place winners receiving the trip to the nation’s capitol in June were: Elisa Williamson, Houston; Lauren Gifford, Licking, Lexie McNiel, Plato; Broderick Davis, Cabool; Rachel Walden, Salem; Devon White, Summersville; Lukas Walker, Rolla; Taylor Flint, Mountain Grove; and Caleb Jones, St. James.
Runners-up receiving the trip to Jefferson City were: Josilyn Barbagiovanni and Taylor Bryson, Houston; Kylie Howell and Kennedy Sullins, Licking; Jordan Emery and Mason Crabtree, Plato; Carson Smith and Megan Smith, Cabool; Jessie Barnes and Alexis Crocker, Salem; Tori Smith and Tiffany Pobst, Summersville; Canon Alsup, Mountain Grove; and Victoria Stroup and Lorenzo Lewis, St. James.
“The competition was intense as each school was represented by highly motivated and intelligent students,” Intercounty said in a news release. “A congratulations is due to all of these juniors as they should truly be proud of their accomplishments as tomorrow’s leaders.”