The Jefferson City News Tribune is pleased to announce Blair Oaks High School senior Emilee Jones and Trinity Lutheran School eighth-grader Grace Craighead as the local winners of the newspaper's "It Can Wait" editorial-writing contest.
For the fourth year in a row, local newspapers, the Missouri Press Association and AT&T have partnered to host the contest, raising awareness about the dangers of smartphone-related driving distractions and urging the Missouri General Assembly to update the law to prohibit all drivers from texting while driving.
Currently, it's illegal only for drivers 21 and under to text and drive, and Missouri is one of only four states that does not have a statewide ban.
Central Missouri Newspapers Inc. - which includes the Jefferson City News Tribune, Fulton Sun and California Democrat - received more than 100 entries from Mid-Missouri high school and middle school students. A five-person committee representing the three newspapers read and judged the entries this week and selected two winners.
Trinity Lutheran School eighth-grader Becca Schatte was selected for the judge's choice award but will not continue in the competition.
Jones will receive a $500 prize and Craighead a $250 prize.
Both entries have been submitted to the statewide contest. The statewide high school and middle school winners will receive cash prizes. The MPA will provide each winner a tour of the University of Missouri School of Journalism and the MPA office. Winning students and their parents also will attend a dinner with the leadership of AT&T Missouri, the MPA and their local newspaper publisher.
The MPA will announce the winning statewide entries Nov. 17.
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