Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry The winners of the Warren County Victim Impact Panel scholarship essay contest are 2022 graduates of Warren County schools (from right) Jessica Hulse, Tidioute Community Charter School; Cayla McMillen, Sheffield Area High School; Savannah Upton, Youngsville High School; Will Strassburg, Warren Area High School; and Cael Black, Eisenhower High School.

Five graduating seniors from Warren County who are prepared to resist peer pressure are being helped on their way to furthering their education.

The Warren County Victim Impact Panel awarded five $500 scholarships to the winners of an essay contest.

The topic for the 250-word essay was “How would you deal with underage drinking peer pressure?”

Members of the panel — Buster and Janice Godden, Mindy Loomis, and Janice Ressler — selected one winner from each county school that entered.

Those winners were:

¯ Cayla McMillen, Sheffield Area High School, who will attend Wilson College;

¯ Jessica Hulse, Tidioute Community Charter School, who will attend Westminster College;

¯ Will Strassburg, Warren Area High School, who will attend Nazareth College;

¯ Cael Black, Eisenhower High School, who will attend Lock Haven University; and

¯ Savannah Upton, Youngsville High School, who will attend Slippery Rock University.

The members of the panel have been directly impacted by impaired driving and speak to people sentenced for driving under the influence to help them understand the lasting effects it can have.