Phillip Shirkey of Concordia Named a Rural Voices Youth Contest Winner

Phillip Shirkey, a senior at Concordia Junior-Senior High School, is one of two high school seniors in North Central Kansas to be recognized with the John R. Cyr Rural Voices Award for submitting a top entry in the 2021-2022 Rural Voices Youth Contest.

The North Central Regional Planning Commission (NCRPC) in Beloit sponsors the contest each year.  Hart Nurnberg, a senior at Southeast of Saline High School, submitted the other winning entry in this year’s contest.  Both students will receive a cash award of $850.  The contest awards are named in honor of John Cyr who served for 22 years as the NCRPC Executive Director.  Since 2006, NCRPC has awarded more than $27,000 through the Rural Voices Youth Contest.

Students had the option to submit an original essay or video reflective of this year’s contest theme of “Rural Kansas…Tomorrow’s Leaders.”  High school seniors in the 12-county NCRPC service area — including the counties of Clay, Cloud, Dickinson, Ellsworth, Jewell, Lincoln, Marshall, Mitchell, Ottawa, Republic, Saline, and Washington — were eligible to participate.

To view the winning entries or to learn more about the contest, visit www.ncrpc.org/ruralvoices.

The NCRPC is committed to advancing rural Kansas through comprehensive planning and development services.  Its primary service area includes 12 counties and 83 cities in North Central Kansas.  For more information about the organization, visit www.ncrpc.org.