MLEC 2024 Short Story Contest Winners Selected – Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative

Pictured from left to right: East Hickman High School junior Caroline Luna, junior Sage Clendenion, MLEC Member Service Representative Carson Woods, and junior Eric Pantoja.

More than 180 Stories Submitted, 14 Receive Scholarships.

(May 13, 2024) — Houston County High School Junior Charlsie Strech is the five-county winner in Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative’s annual writing contest. She will receive a $1000 scholarship from MLEC, the Larry Stringer Memorial Scholarship for $2000 and could win additional funding through the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association’s statewide contest.

Additionally, a boy and girl winner from seven high schools also received $1000 scholarships from MLEC. They include:

East Hickman High School: Caroline Luna and Eric Pantoja

Hickman County High School: Lilli Istre and Jake Tidwell

Houston County High School: Carlsie Strech ($3000 Overall Winner) and Braden Roberson

Lewis County High School: Jaxon Fite and Jayden Moore

McEwen High School: Jacob Brown and Kylie Elliott

Perry County High School: Kari Byrd and Zach Riley

Waverly Central High School: Bailey Hickman and Jaden Lambdin

Pictured from left to right: Lilli Istre, Hickman County District Manager Matt Chessor and Jake Tidwell. — Hickman County High School Winners pictured from left to right: Lilli Istre, Hickman County District Manager Matt Chessor and Jake Tidwell.

Pictured from left to right: HCHS junior Braden Roberson, Houston County District Manager Jeff Rye and junior Charlsie Strech. — Houston County High School Winners pictured from left to right: Braden Roberson, Houston County District Manager Jeff Rye and Charlsie Strech.

Pictured from left to right: LCHS junior Jaxon Fite, MLEC Member Service Representative Mallory McDonald and junior Jayden Moore. — Lewis County High School Winners pictured from left to right: Jaxon Fite, MLEC Member Service Representative Mallory McDonald and Jayden Moore.

Pictured from left to right: MHS junior Kylie Eliott, Humphreys County District Manager Junior Breeden and MHS junior Jacob Young. — McEwen High School Winners pictured from left to right: Kylie Eliott, Humphreys County District Manager Junior Breeden and Jacob Young.

Pictured from left to right: PCHS junior Zach Riley, Perry County District Manager Mike Hickerson and junior Kari Byrd. — Perry County High School Winners pictured from left to right: Zach Riley, Perry County District Manager Mike Hickerson and Kari Byrd.

Pictured from left to right: WCHS junior Bailey Hickman, Humphreys County District Manager Junior Breeden and WCHS junior Jaden Lambdin. — Waverly Central High School Winners pictured from left to right: Bailey Hickman, Humphreys County District Manager Junior Breeden and Jaden Lambdin.

Each school’s overall winning student also has the opportunity to serve as an MLEC delegate on the 2024 Washington Youth Tour in June. Students who accepted the expense-paid trip to Washington D.C. are Istre, Strech, Fite, Byrd, Brown and Hickman. An alternate delegate, Sage Clendenion, will represent East Hickman High School. MLEC Communications Coordinator Benjamin Armstrong and Marketing Coordinator Memori Depriest will serve as chaperones.

“The Washington Youth Tour invests in the future leaders of our local communities,” says MLEC President and CEO Keith Carnahan. “We are excited to further their education and bring a new group to our Nation’s Capital to learn more about electric cooperatives and our country’s history.”

The theme for this year’s annual contest was “Electric Cooperatives Connect.” High school juniors were asked to write about how electric cooperatives improve communities across their service areas while providing safe, affordable, reliable electricity and other services.

MLEC is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric utility that serves more than 34,500 meters in Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Lewis and Perry counties. We are your source for power and broadband and help build brighter futures for the communities we serve. Learn more at www.mlec.com/about-mlec.

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