High school seniors in North Central Kansas are invited to compete for a chance to win $1,000 by submitting an essay or short video for the 2024-2025 Rural Voices Youth Contest. This year’s contest theme is “Rural Kansas… My Hometown.”

The North Central Regional Planning Commission (NCRPC), based in Beloit, Kansas, has sponsored the contest annually since 2006.

According to the organization, the top two entries will each receive a $1,000 cash award and will be honored with the John R. Cyr Rural Voices Award, named in tribute to Cyr, who served as NCRPC Executive Director for 22 years. Winning entries will also be published on the NCRPC website.

Any senior in high school who lives in or attends school in the 12-county NCRPC service area is eligible to enter. This includes the counties of Clay, Cloud, Dickinson, Ellsworth, Jewell, Lincoln, Marshall, Mitchell, Ottawa, Republic, Saline, and Washington.

The deadline for submissions is February 3, 2025. For more information and registration details, please visit www.ncrpc.org/ruralvoices.