2023 Energy Camp Essay Contest
WHAT – Applicants will submit an essay between 50-100 words on this topic: I would like to represent Cotton Electric at Energy Camp 2023 because:
WHO – The contest is open to incoming and current eighth graders in the Cotton Electric service area. The students and their families do not have to be Cotton Electric members. Employees and board members will not serve as judges.
WHEN – The deadline to submit an essay and completed application is March 31, 2023 at 3 p.m.
More details at Guidelines.
HOW – The contest is broken into two rounds and starts with the essay contest. Students may submit an essay of between 50-100 words to Cotton Electric.
Writers of the top 15 essays move to the second round, a live video interview, via Zoom. The question-and-answer interview between students and independent judges will be arranged by Cotton Electric.
The top four be awarded an all-expense paid trip to Energy Camp held at Canyon Camp in Red Rock Canyon.
2023 ESSAY CONTEST
CALL FOR ENTRIES
All incoming and current eighth-graders attending schools within the Cotton Electric Cooperative service territory are invited to enter the 2023 Cotton Electric Energy Camp contest. The essay contest has two rounds and the top four entries will be awarded the following:
All-Expense paid trip to Energy Camp.
(Health and safety concerns will determine the grand prize.)
Entry forms and contest information is available at www.cottonelectric.com/energycamp.
The contest is open to all incoming and current eighth-graders attending or residing within the district of the schools listed below, including home-schooled students.
The schools are:
Big Pasture, Cache, Central High, Chattanooga, Comanche, Duncan, Elgin, Empire, Geronimo, Grandfield, Indiahoma, Lawton Eisenhower, Lawton High, Lawton MacArthur, Marlow, Ryan, Sterling, Temple, Velma-Alma, Walters and Waurika
Employees and board members will not serve as judges.
Some schools listed may include students whose parents receive electric service from another electric cooperative. If their electric cooperative does not participate in Energy Camp, such students will be allowed to enter Cotton Electric Cooperative’s contest. If their cooperative sponsors a Energy Camp contest, those students have an option to choose between the two cooperatives. Students will be ineligible if they enter more than one essay or more than one contest.
CONTEST DETAILS
The contest is broken into two rounds and starts with the essay contest. Students may submit an essay of approximately 50-100 words to Cotton Electric.
Writers of the Top 15 essays move to the second round, a live video interview. The question-and-answer video call between students and independent judges will be arranged by Cotton Electric.
The Top 4 will be awarded an all-expense paid trip to Energy Camp held at Canyon Camp in Red Rock Canyon.
Contest dates (*Safety concerns will affect the format.)
Jan. 31, 2022 Contest opens for entries.
Mar. 31, 2023 Essay deadline – Essays must be submitted online by 3 p.m.
Apr. 19, 2023 Live video interviews of authors of Top 15 essays
Apr. 27, 2023 Camper information is due.
May 30, 2023 Leave for Energy Camp.
June 2, 2023 Return from Energy Camp.
CONTEST RULES
- Topic for 2023 Essay is: I would like to represent Cotton Electric at Energy Camp 2023 because:
- Fill out all required fields and upload an essay of no fewer than 50 and no more than 100 words on the above topic at www.CottonElectric.com/energycamp.
- Deadline for uploading completed essays is 3 p.m. Mar. 31, 2023.
- All essays are made anonymous before submission to judges.
- BE ORIGINAL!
- Essay will be judged by the following criteria: Composition, 40%; Originality, 30%; Neatness, 10%; Grammar, 10%; and Spelling & Punctuation, 10%.
- Independent judge(s) will score the essays and narrow the pool of candidates to 15.
- In the second round of competition, the Top 15 essayists will be invited to participate in a Zoom interview to discuss the essay and general cooperative knowledge with independent judges. Two employees from other cooperatives will conduct the interviews and select four winners.
- The top four students will be awarded an all-expense paid trip to Energy Camp 2023.
- Judges’ decisions throughout the process are final.
For more information regarding the essay contest, call Cotton Electric at 580-875-3351 or email zyoung@cottonelectric.com.