Area youth attend free cooperative-sponsored trips

August 28, 2012

HOOKER — Several area students won free trips sponsored by Tri-County Electric Cooperative this summer.
Dannah White, who is now a senior at Elkhart High School, attended the Rural Electric Cooperative Youth Tour week-long trip to Washington, D.C. in June. She was one of three winners who went on the trip courtesy of Tri-County Electric Cooperative. The other two winners sponsored by Tri-County Electric were Trae Watson, Turpin High School, and Samantha Bowers-Wilson, Guymon High School. In all, 73 high school juniors sponsored by Oklahoma’s electric cooperatives joined more than 1,000 other students from across the country in the nation’s capital.
In addition to seeing all the historical monuments and taking photos of the White House, the Oklahoma winners toured The U.S. Capitol, The U.S. Holocaust Museum, Mount Vernon, Ford’s Theatre and enjoyed a riverboat cruise on the Potomac River.  The group also hosted a Congressional Summit for the Oklahoma Delegation, aides and guests, assisted by Congressman Lucas, Cole and Senator Inhofe and their staff.  While traveling through Baltimore, the group spent time at Inner Harbor.  The tour is coordinated each year by the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives.
Another local winner was Ashley Pike, now a senior at Yarbrough High School. She and Dana Jimenez, a senior at Hooker High School, went to Steamboat Springs, Colo., where they joined youth from Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma and Wyoming at the Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp, July 14-20, 2012. During their weeklong stay in Colorado, the students created their own cooperative complete with a board of trustees and general manager selected by the students. Among other activities were legislative presentations, a high voltage display and a competition to build a transmission line from craft supplies. Students also toured Craig Power Plant and Trapper Mine.
Tyler Evans, Francis Diendo and Sydni Wiggin, who were eighth graders at Yarbrough School last year, were selected to attend the Youth Power Energy Camp. Wiggin was unable to attend but Diendo and Evans both enjoyed themselves. They were among 82 outstanding eighth graders chosen from across the state to represent their local electric cooperative during the four days at Canyon Camp, just east of Hinton, Okla.
While at the camp, the delegates attended sessions on energy, electrical safety and rural electric careers. They elected their own manager and board of directors and opened a Coke and Candy Cooperative. Other special activities during the camp included hands-on electrical demonstrations, such as pole-climbing and bucket truck rides from linemen, a 13 low-element ropes course, swimming, an energy battle tournament and a trip to Celebration Station for video games and go-carts.
Students can apply for several outstanding trips with leadership and learning opportunities offered by Tri-County Electric Cooperative. Learn how to apply at www.tri-countyelectric.coop. Questions regarding the trips should be directed to Erin Moore at 800-522-3315, ext. 826.