Alexis Wagner of Mount Pleasant recently participated in the National Electric Cooperative Youth Tour of Washington, D.C., sponsored by Access Energy Cooperative. She spent June 18-23 in Washington, D.C., with 37 other student leaders from Iowa.
Each year in June, this weeklong leadership development program provides high school students opportunities to learn about government, the electric cooperative business model and today’s pressing issues in the energy industry. Students met their elected representatives in the U.S. House and Senate, toured historic sites and ran their very own Snack Cooperative.
The Electric Cooperative Youth Tour has been a joint effort of local owned electric cooperatives, such as Access Energy Cooperative, their statewide trade associations, and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) for 65 years.
In addition to taking in the sights of the nation’s capital, all the state groups convened for the Rural Electric Youth Day, sponsored by NRECA, to learn from public figures and other inspirational speakers. This year’s Youth Day agenda included Mike Schlappi, a four-time Paralympic Medalist and two-time world Wheelchair Basketball champion. 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.”
For information on how you can participate in Access Energy Cooperative’s 2024 Youth Tour program, visit www.accessenergycoop.com. Applications will be available in December 2023. Search for “Iowa Youth Tour” on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to see the group’s recent adventures from 2023.