Sophomores and juniors from 26 area high schools will have the opportunity to win all expense paid trips this summer. Members of the junior class will be competing to win one of two trips to Washington D.C.

Three sophomores will win trips to the Cooperative Youth Conference and Leadership Experience (C.Y.C.L.E.) in Jefferson City. The Youth Tour to Washington Trip will be held June 15-21, while the C.Y.C.L.E. trip will be July 18-20.

The essay contest is open to all sophomores and juniors attending a high school located within the service area of Farmers’ Electric Cooperative. Likewise, the contest is also open to sophomores and juniors who reside in a home on the FEC system but attend a high school outside of the Cooperative’s service territory where the essay contest is not offered at that high school. Children of co-op employees and directors are not eligible to participate in the contest.

Sophomore and junior class English instructors received essay contest information and applications in the mail in December.

Applications may also be picked up at the FEC office in Chillicothe or by going on-line to the Cooperative’s website at www.fec-co.com.

The essay topic for sophomores this year is: “Develop a slogan for Farmers’ Electric Cooperative’s 75th Anniversary". Discuss the differences between a Cooperative and other utilities and outline the advantages to being a member of an electric co-op.

The essay topic for juniors is: “Develop a slogan for Farmers’ Electric Cooperative’s 75th Anniversary". Discuss how life was different before Farmers’ Electric came to the rural people in our area and give a short history of how the Cooperative began.

The essay contest deadline is Friday, February 22, 2013, at 4:30 p.m. The essays, which may range between 250-600 words in length, must be postmarked on or before the deadline. Winners of the essay contests will be announced in early April. If there are any questions pertaining to the contest, please call Chasity Anderson at 660-646-4281, ext. 20.