Kolten Rozell and Ellie Troyer Receive Top Honors in
Kiwash Electric Cooperative’s Youth Tour Contest

Hard work has paid off for two high school juniors as they make plans to tour the nation’s capital this summer. Kolten Rozell of Sentinel High School and Ellie Troyer of Corn Bible Academy took top honors in the Kiwash Electric Cooperative Youth Tour Contest.  Each of these winners will receive an all-expense paid trip to Washington D.C. 

Kolten is the son of Kevin and Jayne Rozell of Sentinel.  Ellie is the daughter of Donald and Karla Troyer of Hydro.  Kolten and Ellie have an exciting fun filled week ahead of them during June 12-17.  The two 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 Logan McKee of Cordell High School and Hannah McCollom of Hobart High School.  Logan is the daughter of Greg and Terry McKee of Cordell and Hannah is the daughter of Rickey and Tammy McCollom of Hobart.

In order to reach the finals, the contestants had to be one of the five highest scores on a written test that had been given to approximately 57 juniors that attend a school within Kiwash Electric’s service territory.  The contest concluded with a banquet at the Washita County Activity Center in Cordell, honoring the top four contestants and their families.  Following the banquet, a panel of three judges conducted interviews.  The contestants were scored on knowledge of the 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 2,400 students have been sponsored on trips to the nation’s capital in the last forty-six years.  Kiwash Electric Cooperative has been offering the Youth Tour Program for the past 29 years.