Local high school students Rachel Crowell from Central High School and Natalie Dupuy, Kaila Kelly and Derek Wooden from Zachary High School each won an all-expense paid trip in June to Washington, D.C. They were the four winners in the DEMCO 2012 Rural Electric Youth Tour Essay Contest.

The Rural Electric Youth Tour Essay Contest is an annual event that, this year, included essay entries from over 300 students throughout DEMCO’s seven-parish service area. Each student who participated wrote an original essay on one of two topics: “I can save energy by...” or “I can make a positive impact on my community by...”

The four winners were selected March 13 during a banquet honoring the 12 finalists, their families, teachers and school principals. The banquet was held at John Folse’s White Oak Plantation in Baton Rouge, and the Zachary High School Jazz Ensemble provided musical entertainment.

The other eight finalists included the following area students: Trey Bonaventure, Tucker Campbell, Allie DeLaney, Gracie Dugas, Anne Gunther, Andrew Lewis, Nikki Orso and Blaine Rutland.

Featured speaker and LSU Soccer Superstar Mo Isom praised the students for their excellent presentations and commended DEMCO for providing this opportunity to area youth. Isom encouraged the students to stay strong in their faith and in their own abilities.

Each finalist was judged on the oral presentation of his or her essay. The finalists also completed a short test on their knowledge of DEMCO and rural electrification.

John Vranic, DEMCO CEO and General Manager, was in attendance to assist in honoring all of the finalists alongside Isom.

“DEMCO is proud to sponsor such an outstanding community project that invests in the youth of our service area,” Vranic commented.

DEMCO’s four Youth Tour winners will join 24 other Louisiana students to embark on a weeklong trip to Washington, D.C in mid-June. While in Washington, the Louisiana Youth Tour participants will visit the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, Supreme Court, National Archives, Arlington Cemetery and many other historic buildings and landmarks. They will also join about 1,300 other Youth Tour participants from around the nation to learn more about electric cooperatives.

This year, 2012, marks the 34th year DEMCO has sponsored students in the Youth Tour program. The purpose of the Youth Tour program is to provide outstanding youth with an insight into how their national government operates.