[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 77 (Tuesday, May 19, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5612-S5613]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                TRIBUTE TO HOOSIER ESSAY CONTEST WINNERS

 Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I wish today to take the opportunity 
to express my congratulations to the winners of the 2008-2009 Dick 
Lugar/Indiana Farm Bureau/Farm Bureau Insurance Companies Youth Essay 
Contest.
  In 1985, I joined with the Indiana Farm Bureau to sponsor an essay 
contest for 8th grade students in my home State. The purpose of this 
contest is to encourage young Hoosiers to recognize and appreciate the 
importance of Indiana agriculture in their lives and subsequently craft 
an essay responding to the assigned theme. The theme chosen for this 
year was ``Working Our Way to Energy Independence.''
  Along with my friends at the Indiana Farm Bureau and Farm Bureau 
Insurance Companies, I am pleased with the annual response to this 
contest and the quality of the essays received over the years. I 
applaud each of this year's participants on their thoughtful work and 
wish, especially, to highlight the submissions of the 2008-2009 contest 
winners--Lynnette Whitsitt of Huntingburg, IN, and Brandon Wells of 
Evansville, IN. I submit for the Record the complete text of Lynnette's 
and Brandon's respective essays. I am pleased, also, to include the 
names of the many district and county winners of the contest.
  The winning essays are as follows:

                                Untitled

                         (By Lynnette Whitsitt)

       Could you imagine a world where you flip on a light switch 
     or press power on the TV and nothing happens? This will be 
     our planet in the foreseeable future if we don't do anything 
     about it. Many people believe that the future isn't their 
     problem and that it's scientists' dilemma to solve, but it's 
     not. If we don't do something about this energy crisis now, 
     Earth will pay for it dearly in the future. We Hoosiers 
     should do what we can, and contribute our available resources 
     to produce renewable sources of power for our country. 
     Without it, a global disaster is imminent.
       Many alternate fuel sources need crops to manufacture 
     them--especially corn and soybeans. Corn produces ethanol, 
     while Biodiesel is made from soybeans. Portions of farmers' 
     crops are sold to manufacturers that produce these energy 
     sources. Organic waste materials, know as biomass, can now be 
     broken down to become biogas. The waste materials used vary 
     from crop remains to animal manure. Biogas can be transformed 
     into diverse forms of energy, but of the renewable energy 
     sources that generate electricity, biomass is most abundant. 
     The conversion of waste materials to biogas is a purely 
     organic procedure in which microorganisms break wastes down 
     into methane. Hoosier farmers could also utilize farmland for 
     wind farms, which will not only provide the farms with energy 
     but also income from spare energy sold to power companies. 
     While wind turbines would occupy land, it could still be used 
     for its main intention, agriculture.
       Farmers have been hugely affected by the energy crisis and 
     can be part of the solution. By helping to make biodiesel, 
     ethanol, biogas, and wind power Indiana farmers will greatly 
     affect the future of energy. This major energy change will 
     revolutionize rural towns, Indiana, and our nation as a 
     whole.

[[Page S5613]]

     
                                  ____
                              Independence

                           (By Brandon Wells)

       The issue of becoming independent from foreign energy is 
     challenging, but vital. The fact remains: if we do not break 
     away from foreign oil soon, we may fall into an economic 
     depression far greater than Americans have ever known. 
     Gasoline prices are substantially inflated; many families are 
     finding it difficult to budget for the commute to and from 
     work. What can we, as American citizens, do to halt this 
     crisis and put an end to insane oil prices?
       One solution to the challenge of making our own less 
     expensive fuel comes straight from Indiana farmers. Biodiesel 
     fuel is a diesel fuel made from organic feedstock. It 
     includes soybeans, animal renderings, and salvaged oil from 
     restaurants. It is domestically produced. Therefore, every 
     gallon of biodiesel fuel takes the place of imported fuels, 
     thus ensuring American dollars remain in the American 
     economy.
       A considerable advantage of biodiesel fuel over gasoline 
     and regular diesel fuels is that biodiesel emits far lower 
     emissions, ensuring cleaner air for both present and future 
     generations. Also, it has better lubricity characteristics, 
     which means less wear on engine parts such as fuel injectors 
     and fuel injection pumps. Biodiesel fuels are compatible with 
     all modern diesel engines and fuel systems.
       There is a clear and definite need to concentrate on 
     breaking away from foreign oil consumption and imports. While 
     the issue of fuel alternatives is great, Indiana farmers are 
     growing answers for all of America right now. We cannot 
     continue to depend on foreign lands to fuel our lives. 
     America has historically fought for independence and once 
     again, we find ourselves fighting. With the help of Indiana 
     farmers, this battle can be won, and America will once again 
     be independent . . . fuel independent.
                                  ____


                    2008-2009 District Essay Winners


                               District 1

       Katlynn Surfus, Zachary Glick.


                               District 2

       Kristi Brennan, Gabe Curtis.


                               District 3

       Jessie LeBeau, Jonah Pritchett.


                               District 4

       McKinzie Horoho, Trevor Homan.


                               District 5

       Miranda Gerrard, Cameron Guernsey.


                               District 6

       Kristen McCarthy, Jack Garner.


                               District 7

       Riki Crowe, Ethan Fettig.


                               District 8

       Morgan Tomson, Aaron Kaiser.


                               District 9

       Lynnette Whitsitt, Brandon Wells.


                              District 10

       Amy Burbrink, Zach Carter.

                     2008-2009 County Essay Winners


                                 Boone

       Cameron Guernsey, Western Boone Junior High School.


                                 Brown

       Haley O'Neil, home schooled.


                                 Clark

       Geoff Rafail and Morgan Mast, Borden Junior High School.


                                  Clay

       Brandon Crowley and Saiti Booe, Clay City Junior High 
     School.


                                Decatur

       Morgan Tomson, South Decatur Junior High School.


                                 Dubois

       Lynnette Whitsitt, Southridge Middle School.


                                 Floyd

       Weston Spalding and Erin Duncan, Our Lady of Perpetual Help 
     School.


                                Franklin

       Aaron Kaiser, Mount Carmel School; and Claire McKamey, St. 
     Michael School.


                                 Greene

       Ethan Fettig, Linton-Stockton Junior High School; and Riki 
     Crowe, White River Valley Junior High School.


                                Hamilton

       Nicholas Jeffers and Kara Linton, St. Maria Goretti School.


                                Hancock

       Joshua Hanselman and McKenze Qualkinbush, Doe Creek Middle 
     School.


                               Hendricks

       Drake Whicker, Cascade Middle School; and Jaclin Byrne, 
     Tri-West Middle School.


                                 Henry

       Jack Garner and Brooke Ballard, Tri Junior High School.


                                 Howard

       Austin Dishon, Northwestern Middle School; and McKinzie 
     Horoho, Eastern Junior High School.


                                Jackson

       Zach Carter, Immanuel Lutheran School; and Avri Hackman, 
     Lutheran Central School.


                                 Jasper

       Hunter Hickman and Tori Bryja, Rensselaer Middle School.


                                  Jay

       Trevor Homan and Miranda Reinhart, East Jay Middle School.


                                Jennings

       Tanner Steele and Amy Burbrink, St. Mary School.


                                  Lake

       Zachary Glick and Alejandra Almendarez, Our Lady of Grace 
     School.


                                 Marion

       James Wang, Sycamore School; and Kristen McCarthy, St. Jude 
     School.


                                 Monroe

       Logan Letner and Allie Jones, Batchelor Middle School.


                                 Noble

       Gabe Curtis and Kristi Brennan, St. Mary of the Assumption 
     School.


                                 Parke

       Will Harrison and Kendall Davies, Rockville Junior High 
     School.


                                 Perry

       Hunter Sandage, Tell City Junior High School.


                                 Posey

       Brandon Wells and Stephanie Cook, North Posey Junior High 
     School.


                                 Scott

       Hunter Steinkamp and Raven Alcorn, Scottsburg Middle 
     School.


                                 Starke

       Katlynn Surgus, Knox Middle School.


                                Sullivan

       Harley-Alden Robert Davis and Savana Strain, Rural 
     Community Academy.


                              Switzerland

       Devin Coy and Olivia Hewitt, Switzerland County Middle 
     School.


                               Vermillion

       Dillon Boling and Abigail Calvin, North Vermillion Junior 
     High School.


                                 Wabash

       Trae Cole and Alyssa Richter, Northfield Junior High 
     School.


                                 Warren

       Miranda Gerrad, Seeger Junior High School.


                                 Wayne

       Henry Dickman and Katy Robinson, Seton Catholic Junior High 
     School.


                                 Wells

       Anna Gerber, Kingdom Academy.


                                 White

       Jonah Pritchett and Jessie Lebeau, Tri County Junior High 
     School.

                          ____________________