Lilly Payne and Mark Tucker attend Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp
Lilly Payne, a student at Western Plains High School and Mark Tucker, Dighton High School, attended the 45th Annual Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp (CYLC) from July 15-21, 2022. The leadership camp was held near Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and hosted 62 student leaders from Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Wyoming. These high schoolers were sponsored by a total of 32 participating cooperatives across the four states.
Payne and Tucker were selected by Lane-Scott Electric Cooperative based on the leadership skills, academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and character demonstrated in their applications, which was comprised of a series of questions and answers as well as a brief essay of what they believe to be the most important attributes of a leader.
During the camp, they learned how an electric cooperative is organized and operated by developing a model-cooperative with their fellow students, empowering the campers to elect a Board of Directors, appoint a General Manager, establish committees, and attend daily membership meetings. Camp participants also attended educational seminars on leadership, online reputation management, conflict management, and co-op careers, in addition to presentations on high voltage electricity, raptors and avian protection with HawkQuest, and a tour of the Yampa Valley Electric community solar array.
Along with its professional development programs, CYLC included a visit to Mount Werner and downtown Steamboat Springs, white water rafting on the Colorado River, and other fun activities such as a volleyball tournament, swimming, talent show, and a dance.
At the conclusion of the leadership camp, Colton Hines, Rural Electric Cooperative; Sophie Imm, Prairie Land Electric Cooperative; and Jake Sasse, Rolling Hills Electric Cooperative; were elected by a student vote as camp ambassadors, awarding them the opportunity to return to represent this year’s campers at CYLC in 2023.
“Lane-Scott Electric Cooperative is proud to continue sponsoring our student leaders at the Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp,”, said Ann Marie Jennings, Lane-Scott’s member service coordinator. “It is an honor to help provide students opportunities to grow in their leadership potential and develop the knowledge to further engage in our cooperative community.”
Lane-Scott Electric sponsors the trip for two students each year. For more information on how to attend/send students to camp, contact Lane-Scott Electric or visit www.lanescott.coop.