Byrd and Riley Win MLEC Short Story Contest – Buffalo River Review

Kari Byrd and Zach Riley of Perry County High School were named local winners of the Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative short story contest. They will each receive a $1,000 scholarship.
As a PCHS grand prize winner, Kari also has the opportunity to serve as a MLEC delegate during the 2024 Washington Youth Tour in June. Benjamin Armstrong, MLEC communications coordinator, and Memori DePriest, marketing coordinator, will serve as chaperones.
“The Washington Youth Tour invests in the future leaders of our local communities,” says Keith Carnahan, president and CEO of MLEC.
“We are excited to continue their studies and bring a new group to the nation’s capital to learn more about electric cooperatives and our country’s history.”
The theme of this year’s annual competition was “Electric Cooperatives Connect.” High school students were asked to write about how electric cooperatives improve communities in their service areas while providing safe, affordable and reliable electricity and other services.
Houston County High School senior Charlsie Strech is the five-county winner of the annual MLEC writing contest. She will receive a $1,000 scholarship from MLEC, the $2,000 Larry Stringer Memorial Scholarship, and may win additional funding through the statewide competition hosted by the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association.