Electricity powers our lives. We rely on it 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to support the life we enjoy. Conway Corp is proud to provide dependable and reliable services to our friends and neighbors since 1929. Once a year, we encourage local students to show their energy smarts and participate in a poster, essay and video contest. Students in grades PreK-4 were asked to create a poster on the theme “My Life, Powered by Conway Corp” while students in 5-7 grade and 8-12 grade were asked to write an essay or create a video on the same theme. The winners of the 2023 Energy Smart Contest – in each age category – are listed below.

• Poster Contest First Place: Fareedah Oyeniyi – 3^rd grade at Julia Lee Moore Elementary
• 5-7 Essay Contest First Place: Luke Sides – 7^th grade at Ruth Doyle Middle School
• 8-12 Essay Contest First Place: Lily Douglas – 12^th grade at Conway High School

Below is the winning essay by Luke Sides:

Living On-Grid: “Beep! Beep! Beep!” I wake up with a start as my alarm goes off. It’s 6:20 a.m., time to get ready for the school day. Conway Corp has already played a role in my life today, and I’ve only just woken up. That alarm that just went off? It runs on electricity, which Conway Corp provides my house with. And without that alarm, I probably wouldn’t have woken up on time, which would have made me late for school.

Now I go through my morning routine, which includes taking a shower, microwaving a Jimmy Dean sausage muffin for breakfast, brushing my teeth, and playing Wordle on my phone. But wait! All of these would be impossible without Conway Corp. The clean water for my shower and for brushing my teeth comes from Conway Corp. The electricity used to power the microwave and charge my phone is provided by Conway Corp. So far, Conway Corp has helped with my hygiene, allowed me to enjoy a hot meal, and provided me with entertainment.

Once I’m at school, I usually go to my first period class, but since this week has been ACT Aspire testing week, I go to my testing room. Why am I mentioning ACT Aspire? Well, without Conway Corp internet, we wouldn’t be able to take the test. I use my school’s Conway Corp internet throughout the day to complete online assignments and play games in my free time. School lunch is served hot, but how would they cook it without Conway Corp’s power? They would probably have to light a fire, and that would be not only less efficient but also much more dangerous.

Next, I come home from school, exhausted by a day of hard work. I crash on the couch, grab the TV remote, and turn on the TV. I use my phone to text my friends, and then I often read a book on my Kindle. Plus, on Fridays my family likes to watch streamed movies together. All of these forms of entertainment that I enjoy at home come from (you guessed it!) Conway Corp’s internet and electrical services.

When it’s time for my mom to cook dinner for my family, she uses our stove, oven, microwave, mixer, blender, etc. Since all of these everyday appliances run on electricity, Conway Corp has a lot of influence in my diet, which can greatly affect everything–from my health to my attitude.

At some point, I’ll need to go to the bathroom; Conway Corp’s wastewater services keep my house clean. Before there were toilets that could flush into a sewer system, people had to throw their waste outside onto the street, creating a gross and unsanitary environment just outside their front doors. Thankfully, Conway Corp has saved our city from that smelly fate.

Finally, I get ready for bed, again using the shower and sink. At this time of night, electric lights become helpful. It is dark by the time I’m getting ready for bed, and Conway Corp provides the electricity to power all of the lights in my house. Of course, I could use candles, but those are unpredictable, inconvenient, and dim.

This is my daily routine and how Conway Corp plays a role in the individual parts of it. However, certain variables can increase how much I rely on Conway Corp daily. For example, during the flu season, I need to wash my hands a lot more often than usual to avoid contracting the virus. Since Conway Corp supplies my clean water, I partially have them to thank for my health. Other variables that can increase my dependence on Conway Corp are tornadoes. During a tornado, it is good to be able to see the news to find out what exactly is going on and whether you are in any immediate danger. Since I watch the news on my phone or TV, Conway Corp is indirectly keeping me informed on the current situation.

Thank you, Conway Corp, for powering my life in all these ways.

Congratulations to the winners of the 2023 Energy Smart Poster and Essay Contest, and thank you to all students who submitted an entry. Conway Corp is proud of these students who continue to remind us how integral Conway Corp is to our daily lives. We’ve been helping power area education since our creation in 1929, and we’re looking forward to the start of another great school year in a few months.