Waukee Students Win 2017 “Fuel the Future” Iowa High School Video Contest

Contact: Cassidy Riley
515-322-0435 (Cell)

Contest Winners from Waukee and Treynor Focus on Benefits of E15 and Biodiesel

ALTOONA, IOWA – The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) “Fuel the Future” High School Video Contest gives students a chance to grow their expertise in the fuel and technology of a new generation. This year, Jacob Roush and Dylan Smith of Waukee combined both their tech savvy and renewable fuels prowess with a healthy dose of creativity to win the $1,000 Grand Prize for their video “Choose Ethanol: Fuel the Future.”

Amy Wieland and Tyler Groathouse of Waukee High School won the $600 second place prize for their video entitled, “E15 – A Decision as Simple as Dinner.”

Emily Sutherland, of Treynor High School, was awarded the $400 third place prize for her video entitled, “The World Needs Fuel.”

“I want to thank all the students for their hard work and congratulate this year’s winners,” said IRFA Policy Director Grant Menke. “When this contest began seven years ago, we asked students to focus on fuels that were scarcely available to the average consumer. Now, the winning video actually features a typical E15 pump at a local gas station. Access to E15 and biodiesel at the pump grows each year because they truly are the fuels of the future. Jacob and Dylan’s winning video uses creative video editing, an interesting storyline, and effective messaging to point out why.”

IRFA’s “Fuel the Future” video contest challenges Iowa high school students to create an entertaining and informative video highlighting the importance and benefits of E15 and biodiesel. This year’s contest was sponsored by the Faegre Baker Daniels Law Firm. In addition to receiving $2,000 in prizes, the top three videos were featured at today’s 2017 Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit. All of the contest entries are posted on IRFA’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/IowaRenewableFuels

The first place winner, “Choose Ethanol: Fuel the Future,” can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6pURSYau58&t=0s

The second place winner, “E15 – A Decision as Simple as Dinner,” can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR7sVx3RC1o&t=0s

The third place winner, “The World Needs Fuel,” can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DY1zELd0f7Q&t=0s

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association represents the state’s liquid renewable fuels industry and works to foster its growth. Iowa is the nation’s leader in renewable fuels production with 43 ethanol refineries capable of producing 4 billion gallons annually – including nearly 55 million gallons of annual cellulosic ethanol production capacity – and 12 biodiesel facilities with the capacity to produce over 350 million gallons annually. For more information, visit the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association website at: www.IowaRFA.org.

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