Winners have been announced in the 49th annual essay contest sponsored by Farmer's Electric Cooperative of Chillicothe. Two juniors have won ALL-EXPENSE PAID trips to Washington, DC. Three sophomores won all-expense paid trips to the Cooperative Youth Conference and Leadership Experience (CYCLE) conference in Jefferson City.

Mason Kiehl, a junior at Meadville High School, has won first place in the essay contest. Kiehl is the son of Don and Lori Kiehl. Placing second was Devanne McCoy, the daughter of Wilbur and Deborah McCoy of Norborne. Kiehl and McCoy have won all expense paid trips to the nation's capital.

The top three sophomore essayists, winning trips to Jefferson City this summer, are Kolby Eller of Chillicothe, Kaitlyn Prater of Jameson, and Jessica Henderson of Coffey. Eller attends Chillicothe High School while Prater and Henderson are students at North Daviess High School.

The CYCLE Conference in Jefferson City is a youth leadership event sponsored by the electric cooperatives of Missouri. A judging committee selected the finalists from essays submitted earlier this year.