Three Bandon High School students, and possibly a fourth, will travel on an all-expenses-paid trip New York City and Washington, D.C., in July. It's part of the Odd Fellows and Rebekahs United Nations Pilgrimage for Youth.

Tatiana Havill and Ashley Tobiska, both sophomores, and Tricia Settle, a junior, won at a recent Speak Off competition at the Bandon Farwest Hall. They gave speeches before judges on what the United Nations meant to them and why they felt they would benefit from such a trip.

Judges were Bandon residents Richard Gannon, Jay Straley, Joan Kiefer and Tracy Eggert. History teacher Jeff Moore helped his students apply for the competition. Gunther has coordinated the event in Bandon for the past several years. Lucille Estabrook, president of Odd Fellows and treasurer for the Rebekahs, also helped with the event.

Each student submitted a written essay, which counted for 60 percent of their score, and gave a speech. The students traveling to the East Coast will give a speech at the United Nations building in New York, where they will participate in discussions with young people from around the world.

The students also will attend a Broadway play, visit the Empire State Building, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, as well as touring famous landmarks and buildings in Washington, D.C.

A fourth student, BHS junior Alex Sylvester, may be able to attend if additional funding is found, according to local Odd Fellows Speak Off coordinator Russell Gunther.

Also competing for the trip were Brian Haeuter, Blake Larkin, Steven Gaspar, Alexandria McCulloch, Cherise VanHooser, all of Bandon; and Alisha Owens of North Bend.