Pictured, from left, are Bruce Goslee, Andrew Zink, Jorie Bail, and Joe Elrod.

KOSCIUSKO — Each year, Kosciusko REMC urges students throughout the area to enter their artwork into a statewide contest sponsored by the cooperative.

Young artists have a chance to see their artwork published in a statewide calendar distributed to thousands of homes and businesses across Indiana. This year, Andrew Zink, an eighth-grader at Lakeland Christian Academy, was the first-place winner. The 2020 Indiana Connection Art Calendar will feature Zink’s artwork. In recognition of this achievement, KREMC’s president and CEO, Bruce Goslee, met Zink at his school to present him with a certificate. Zink received $200 from Indiana Electric Cooperatives and a special gift from KREMC.

Just down the road, another young Kosciusko resident, Phil Carnes, also submitted his artwork to the contest. Carnes, a second-grader at Lincoln Elementary School, received an honorable mention. Carnes received $75 from IEC and a gift from KREMC.

“We are so pleased to recognize our young artists and their talents,” said Goslee. “It is encouraging to see the area schools get involves with programs like this. We know it wouldn’t happen without the teachers. Our gratitude goes to the students’ art teachers, Jorie Bail and Connie Hunter. We hope to see more students enter the contest each year, and we look forward to recognizing future winners. I have no doubt Kosciusko County has talent in every school and at every age. I can’t wait to see what these kids can do.”

KREMC proudly supports several youth programs like the Art Calendar Contest. They also assist students with their John H. Anglin Scholarship. They send four sixth-graders to summer camp and two high school juniors to Washington, D.C. each year.

“These kids are our future,” said Goslee. “We make it a point to support them every way we can.”

Pictured, from left, are Phil Carnes and Connie Hunter.