Lane-Scott Electric Cooperative Facilitates Trip to Nation’s Capital for Local Students
Brooke Henning from Ness City High School and Breanna Berndt from Dighton High School recently represented Lane-Scott Electric at the 2024 Electric Cooperative Youth Tour in Washington, D.C., held from June 14-20. During their time in Washington, D.C., students deepened their understanding of America’s electric cooperatives and honed their leadership abilities alongside peers from the electric cooperative community. These standout student representatives were chosen based on their applications and essays describing what qualities they believe make a good leader.
The Youth Tour kicked off in Topeka with a lively dinner, followed by an exclusive night tour of the Kansas State Capitol led by State Treasurer Steven Johnson and Kansas Representative Kyle Hoffman, alumni of electric cooperatives youth tours. While in Washington D.C., students explored iconic landmarks such as the U.S. Capitol, the White House, Arlington National Cemetery, and Mount Vernon. They also visited the Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Smithsonian museums to further enrich their appreciative for history and culture. Students also enjoyed memorable experiences like pin trading with students from other states’ delegations and a scenic dinner cruise on the Potomac River.
During the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s (NRECA) National Youth Day on June 19th, students were inspired by a lineup of motivation speakers. Among them was Paralympic Gold Medalist Mike Schlappi, alongside other notable speakers NRECA’s CEO Jim Matheson, representatives from the NRECA International Program, and the 2024 National Youth Spokesperson Hayley Dorsey.
Students also had the opportunity to engage directly with government officials by meeting with United States Senator Jerry Moran. During this meeting, students had the opportunity to ask questions on a variety of topics that were important to them.
Reflecting on their experience, Henning shared, “This trip in general has inspired me to take opportunities even when I am afraid to. I wasn’t going to apply at first, but after talking with my mom, she convinced me. I’m so glad she did because this trip was truly incredible.”
At the conclusion of the conference, Isabell Jones, sponsored by Midwest Energy, was elected by her peers as the 2025 Kansas representative to the NRECA Youth Leadership Council. Jones will attend the general session at PowerXchange, NRECA’s Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA, from March 7-12, 2025.
Students who attended the 2024 Youth Tour have the opportunity to apply for the KEC Auxiliary Scholarship and the NRECA Glenn English Scholarship. For more information about the Youth Tour or other KEC youth programs, please contact Ann Marie Jennings at Lane-Scott Electric Cooperative.