Bonnie Craighead, Clay County High School student, is one of four area students to win an expense paid trip to Washington D.C. in a writing contest sponsored by Tri-County Electric. (photo submitted)

Clay County High School (CCHS) student Bonnie Craighead, daughter of Debra and Robert Craighead is one of four area winners from eight schools represented in Tri-County Electric’s 2012 writing contest who were awarded an expense paid trip to Washington D.C. Craighead had to decline the trip due to a schedule conflict and was replaced by another school’s winner.

Entrants were required to write a short story of 900  words or less entitled “Electric Cooperatives: iPower the Future.”

First place winners from each school won $100 and $50 was paid to the second place winners.

The short story judged as best over-all is entered in the statewide competition, sponsored by the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association to compete with the top short stories from across the state of Tennessee for a first-place scholarship of $3,000, a second-place scholarship of $2,000, and a third-place scholarship of $1,000.  The scholarship winners are announced while the students are in D.C.

Tri-County proudly sponsors the program giving students the opportunity to learn more about their cooperative and government.

Those making the trip will be Dixi Secula, Cumberland County (KY) High School, Taylor Coffelt, Red Boiling Springs High School, Hannah Erwin, Allen-County Scottsville High School, Ashley Tuttle, Westmoreland High School and Chad Butler, teacher at Red Boiling Springs High School will accompany the group on their trip.