Kay Electric Essay contest awards $9,000 in scholarships to local students

(Tap to view both photos for the contest winners)

Kay Electric Cooperative’s annual essay contest wrapped up on the evening of February 22, 2022.

This year, the students had three topics to choose from:

1) What are the advantages of receiving electric service from a cooperative compared with an investor-owned utility?
2) How the availability of electric service improves the quality of life in rural Oklahoma, and
3) Interview a Cooperative member who remembers when they received power for the first time.

Fifty area juniors wrote some impressive essays while the top eight competed for scholarships and cash prizes.

First place went to Audra Boyer from Garber High School and second place went to homeschooled Emily Newland from Medford.

Each of these students received a $2,500 scholarship.

Third place went to Heidi Hembree from Tonkawa High School and fourth place went to Annalaura Vogt from Blackwell High School.

Each of these students received a $2,000 scholarship, while Katherine Blubaugh, Conner Sneath, Zachary Hancock and April Cody all received cash prizes.

The area 8th graders competed in an essay competition as well.

The theme of their essay was “How has reliable electricity benefited you and your community through the COVID-19 pandemic?”

There were 58 essays submitted with the top six essay writers winning a Chromebook.

These students are Alivia Frickenschmidt and Kennan Sharp from Garber Middle School, Adylyn Hammons from Medford Middle School, Maycie Brandt from Newkirk Middle School, Mackenzie Moore from Tonkawa Middle School and Addyson Harmon from Blackwell Middle School.

"Congratulations to all of our winners. We are all very proud of you!" Kay Electric stated in their press release.

For more information on KEC’s essay contests, please visit www.kayelectric.coop, or call KEC’s Youth Coordinator, Cyndi Mitchell at 800-535-1079 for more information.