R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press Gladstone Mayor Joe Thompson (far left) and WPPI Energy Senior Energy Services Manager Brett Niemi (far right) pose with Gladstone High School students Victoria Mantela (second from left) and Max Wilson (second from right), both of whom won scholarships because of essays they wrote on the theme of “Our Community Connection: The Value of Our Municipal Utility.” To be eligible for the essay contest, students had to be part of a household that receives city electricity and plan on continuing education after high school. The “Public Power Scholarship” was a partnership between the City of Gladstone and WPPI Energy.