DREMC congratulates the 2021 writing contest winners

Duck River Electric is proud to introduce the 11 high school juniors who have won scholarships through our annual writing contest.

“We congratulate the achievements of these future leaders,” shared DREMC President and CEO Scott Spence. “Over the past two years, DREMC’s approach to presenting the writing contest in the local schools has changed due to the pandemic, however, we are pleased to be able to continue offering the contest and scholarships to support these students in achieving their higher education goals.”

Traditionally, students winning the writing competition are awarded the week-long Washington, D.C., Youth Tour. In following health and safety guidelines, the tour was canceled for 2020 and 2021.

In lieu of the tour, DREMC is awarding each winner a $1,000 scholarship towards their higher education and recognizing them at an awards presentation this summer.

Students participating in the writing contest not only receive local awards but are also eligible to compete on a state level for scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $10,000.

Each year, DREMC invites high school juniors, who receive electric service from the cooperative, to write short stories of up to 900 words about electric cooperatives and how they serve their communities.

The theme for 2021 was titled “Electric Cooperatives: Building a Brighter Tennessee” and encouraged students to focus on how electric cooperatives have far-reaching impacts on Tennessee through investments in energy, education, broadband, economic development, and more.

Contest submissions were judged by Tennessee Valley Public Power Association (TVPPA) staff members. TVPPA, based in Chattanooga, TN, is a nonprofit, regional service organization representing the interests of electric utilities operating within the Tennessee Valley Authority service area.

“We appreciate TVPPA’s assistance in selecting this year’s winners,” adds Spence, “and we appreciate the schools in our service area for allowing DREMC to offer this writing contest to their students.”

“The primary mission of DREMC has not changed over our 85-year history,” says Spence. “DREMC is committed to being a partner in the communities we serve, and the writing competition opens a door for us to provide an opportunity to the students. We applaud these winners and wish them continued success in their future endeavors.”

DREMC sponsors the Washington Youth Tour to involve students in learning about our nation and how electric cooperatives help change its landscape.

More than 6,000 high school juniors from across Tennessee have participated in the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour since it began in the 1960s.