Greenwell Springs, Louisiana – The annual DEMCO essay contest is underway from November 1, 2021, through January 21, 2022. The contest is open to high school juniors in DEMCO’s seven-parish service areas: Ascension, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Livingston, St. Helena, Tangipahoa, and West Feliciana. 

Students must submit an original essay in the form of a letter addressed to a political leader about a topic of concern and importance to the student author. Entries can be submitted online at https://demco.org/community/demco-essay-contest-youth-tour by January 21, 2022. 

After an initial round of judging, twelve semi-finalists are selected to give an oral presentation of their written essay. Four students win an all-expense-paid trip to participate as DEMCO delegates at the NRECA Rural Electric Youth Tour in Washington, D.C., June 17-24, 2022.

Sharing information about the trip, David Latona, vice president of marketing and member services, says, “DEMCO delegates attend Youth Tour to learn about electric cooperatives, American history, and U.S. government. The trip is fun but also very educational. A highlight of the trip is when our delegation meets with their representatives in the House and Senate.”

To learn about the history of the NRECA Youth Tour, visit https://demco.org/essay-contest/history. To listen to other Youth Tour delegates about their experience while at Youth Tour, visit https://demco.org/youth-tour-essay-contest/youth-tour-experiences.

DEMCO powers 113,500+ meters in a seven-parish service area of Southeast Louisiana: Ascension, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Livingston, St. Helena, Tangipahoa, and West Feliciana.