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CKenergy CEO Clint Pack, left, with scholarship winners Gabby Giblet, Kaci Anderson, Kaitlyn Roehr and Hannah Strickler. Photo courtesy of Lisa Willard.
Hard work has paid off for four high school juniors as they make plans to tour the nation’s capital this summer. Kaci Anderson of Hobart High School, Gabby Giblet of Cordell High School, Kaitlyn Roehr and Hannah Strickler of Weatherford High School took top honors in the CKenergy Electric Cooperative Youth Tour Contest. Each of these winners will receive an all-expense paid trip to Washington D.C. and a $500 scholarship.
Kaci is the daughter of Keith and Kimberly Anderson of Lone Wolf. Gabby is the daughter of Kyle and Kim Giblet of Cordell. Kaitlyn is the daughter of Justin and Stephanie Roehr of Weatherford and Hannah is the daughter of Steve and Laci Strickler of Weatherford. The four high school juniors will have an opportunity to become acquainted with other prominent young people from all across Oklahoma, as well as those from other states. Not only will they learn about rural electric cooperatives, they will have a better insight of American history and government. The students will meet Congressmen and Senators and tour historical sights in and around Washington D.C.
Runners-up in the contest were Austin Brothers of Minco High School, Keeli Cox of Lookeba-Sickles High , Justice Leal of Binger-Oney High School and Zoey Lewis of Anadarko High School. Austin is the son of Scottie and Kasandra Brothers of Union City. Keeli is the daughter of Carolyn Gonzalez of Binger. Justice is the son of Chris and Brandie Leal of Gracemont. Zoey is the daughter of Brian and Kara Lewis of Anadarko. The runners-up will receive a $500 scholarship.
In order to reach the finals, the contestants had to be one of the eight highest scores on a written letter/essay. The contest concluded with a banquet at the Pioneer Cellular Event Center at SWOSU in Weatherford honoring the eight contestants and their families. The contestants were interviewed and then presented their letters in speech form. The contestants were scored on knowledge of subject, speaking ability, poise and personality and appearance.
The Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives has been an active sponsor of the Youth Tour since 1963. More than 3,500 students have been sponsored on trips to the nation’s capital in the last fifty-six years. CKenergy is proud to offer the Youth Tour Program to our area students.