Jessica Sloan, of Cottondale High School, and Brittny Megan Young, of Altha High School, will represent West Florida Electric Cooperative during a week-long, all-expenses-paid trip to the nation’s capital this summer. The two high school juniors are winners of WFEC’s 2003 Youth Tour competition, held April 17 at Falling Waters Country Club in Chipley. Catherine E. Sherman, of Sneads High School, was named alternate.
Sloan and Young will join other students representing electric cooperatives from throughout the country at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Youth Tour. The trip will include a breakfast with congressional representatives, a Potomac River cruise and dance, visits to several historic sites, including the U. S. Capitol Building, the White House, Ford’s Theatre, Arlington National Cemetery, the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Holocaust Memorial Museum and more.
High school juniors from a dozen schools throughout WFEC’s service area in Calhoun, Holmes, Jackson and Washington Counties vied for the trip to the U. S. capital. The contestants were chosen by their high school principals or guidance counselors to represent their schools in the competition. The contest is limited each year to eleventh-grade students whose parents or guardians are WFEC consumers, or members. WFEC treated all the competitors to a two-day trip to Tallahassee April 9 and 10 to tour the old and new state capitols, meet government officials and observe the legislature in session.
A three-judge panel of experts from other electric co-ops quizzed the students individually about their knowledge of WFEC, the rural electrification program and energy facts, then evaluated the students’ responses, communication skills, poise and personalities. Following the interviews, the participants and their guests enjoyed a banquet, and Karisa Close, Florida’s Representative to NRECA’s Youth Leadership Council, shared her memories from last summer’s Youth Tour.
The Youth Tour program’s purpose is to provide public recognition to outstanding young people, and to acquaint high school students with governmental activities on a local, state and federal level. The winners of WFEC’s Youth Tour competition may compete against winners from other co-ops in Florida to represent the state on the national Youth Leadership Board.
WFEC Youth Tour contestants, shown from left, are (front row) Candace McDuffie, Ponce de Leon High School; Catherine E. Sherman, Sneads High School – alternate; Jessica Sloan, Cottondale High School – winner; Brittny Megan Young, Altha High School – winner; Jessica Guilford, Blountstown High School; (second row) Sheena Davis, Grand Ridge High School; Timothy Joseph Kleiser, Victory Christian Academy; Stacey Leigh Hall, Malone High School; Mindy Nichole Hanson, Holmes County High School; (Third row) Bethany Leigh Gwaltney, Marianna High School; Justin Nolin, Graceville High School; Shaun R. Carter, Chipley High School
Not pictured: Kimberly H. Garske, Bethlehem High School
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