Kelly Goff from Fowler High School and Angela Fleming from Minneola High School were among the nearly 1,500 high school students from across the country who participated in the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour held June 8-15, 2006, in Washington, D.C. Selected on the basis of a completed resume, multiple choice testing, and a interview process in front of four judges, Kelly and Angela were the winners sponsored by The Victory Electric Cooperative Association, Inc.

Left: Kelly Goff - Fowler HS, Right: Angela Flaning Minneola HS

Each year in June, an action-filled week provides high school students opportunities to learn first-hand what it is like to be involved in politics, community service and today’s pressing issues. The theme of the 2006 Youth Tour was "Commitment to Community." Highlights included meeting with their elected representatives in the U.S. House and Senate to discuss the process of government and issues of the day, and increasing their knowledge of cooperative electric utilities and American history.

The Electric Cooperative Youth Tour has been a joint effort of local electric co-ops, such as Victory Electric, their statewide co-op associations, and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Arlington, Virginia for over 40 years.

Kelly and Angela said they had the experience of a lifetime working with peers from other states and the NRECA staff during the Washington stay.

"While in Washington, D.C., I met people from all corners of the country and visited historical monuments, museums and Capitol Hill," Kelly said. "I learned so much about the role of electric cooperatives in the energy industry."

"What I learned on the Youth Tour makes me proud to be an American and to show that America’s young people are involved and care about this country and our communities," Angela said.

In addition to taking in the sights and sounds of the nation’s capital, all the state groups convened for National Youth Day on June 12 to learn from public figures and other inspirational speakers.

This year’s Youth Day agenda included Mike Schlappi, a four-time Paralympic Medallist and two-time world Champion Wheelchair Basketball champion. Mr. Schlappi shares his inspiring message for every American, young or old: "Just because you can’t stand up, doesn’t mean you can’t stand out." As president of Mike Schlappi Communications, he spreads that word to audiences ranging from students to chief executive officers, from rookies to Olympic champions, and from small gatherings to major conventions.

The students were also treated to an amazing portrayal of a very influential United States Senator who authored the laws creating the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Rural Electrification Act (REA) in the early 1930s. Current Nebraska State Senator David Landis tells the story of the late U.S. Senator George W. Norris (R-NE), in character, explaining the formation of and the politics surrounding the creation of electric cooperatives and the Rural Electrification Act. The students also heard from Jim Bausell, chief operating officer of Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives, who spoke of the important role of electric cooperatives in the communities they serve.

Since 1964, the nation’s cooperative electric utilities have sponsored more than 40,000 high school juniors and seniors for visits to their U.S. congressional delegations, energy and grassroots government education sessions, and sightseeing in Washington. NRECA is the national service organization representing the nation’s more than 900 private, not-for-profit consumer-owned electric cooperatives, which provide electric service to 39 million people in 47 states. Victory Electric is proud to be a sponsor for this event and we thank the membership for supporting it also. For more information, please go to http://www.youthtour.coop.

Neil Geibler (Standing), and Melissa Bosley (Sitting), both are from Cimarron High School

The Youth Tour brings high school students from across the nation to Washington, D.C.. and students to Steamboat Springs Colorado every year.  For more information about the "Government in Action", and "Electric Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp", contact Jerry King at Victory Electric at 620-227-2139 or 800-279-7915.