FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                 

Press Contact: Grant Menke

January 24, 2012

515-252-6249

IRFA Announces Winners of 2nd Annual High School

Renewable Fuels Video Contest

Ames, Clay County and Quad Cities students submit winning entries, win $2,000 in prizes

JOHNSTON, IA – The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) today announced that Sam Ennis of Ames was the first place winner of its 2nd Annual “Fuel the Future” video contest for Iowa high school students.  IRFA awarded a $1,000 grand prize to Ennis, a senior at Ames High School, for his highly creative, entertaining and informative music video entitled “I Got You Ethanol.” 

Second place, and a $600 prize, was awarded to Clay County students Gabby Huss, Rebecca White and Blair Montgomery for their video entry called “Ethanol for the Economy.”  Huss, White and Montgomery are tenth graders at Clay Central Everly Community School. 

Third place was awarded to Cassandra Davis, Haley Jewell, Lauralin Berkley, Cody Corchado, and Meredith Brister of the Quad Cities.  These eleventh graders at Pleasant Valley High School earned a $400 prize for their video production titled “Dear 25 Year Old Me.”

The winners were selected by a panel of five judges with expertise in film, television, marketing, and the renewable fuels industry. 

IRFA’s “Fuel the Future” contest challenged Iowa high school students to create the best video highlighting the importance and benefits of renewable fuels—such as ethanol and biodiesel—to local communities, Iowa and the nation.  In addition to receiving $2,000 in prizes, the top three videos were featured at today’s 6th Annual Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit.  All of the contest entries are posted on IRFA’s YouTube channel.

“Anyone searching for the next ‘viral’ video needs to look no further than the IRFA YouTube page to view this year’s winning entries,” said IRFA Biofuels Manager Grant Menke.  “IRFA congratulates the ‘Fuel the Future’ winners as well as each of the Iowa high school students who took on the challenge of entering this contest.”

The contest was sponsored by the law firm of Faegre Baker Daniels LLP and the IRFA Ethanol and Biodiesel Promotion Committees.

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association was formed in 2002 to represent the state’s ethanol and biodiesel producers.  The trade group fosters the development and growth of the renewable fuels industry in Iowa through education, promotion, legislation and infrastructure development.

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