Houston High School students Shelby Cremer and Miki Bathon were among the 98 high school students from across Missouri who participated in the Electric Cooperative CYCLE program.
The CYCLE – Cooperative Youth Conference and Leadership Experience – conference is held annually in July in Jefferson City. The action-filled three days provide high school students opportunities to learn first-hand what it is like to be involved in politics, the cooperative form of business and being a leader. The program included nationally known speakers and a day at the Missouri State Capitol learning how a bill goes through the process to become a law.
To learn more about electric cooperatives, the group was divided up into small teams that competed in various events like the “build a cooperative” game. Another highlight was hearing from the Rachel’s Challenge Organization. Rachel Scott was the first student killed in the Columbine High School tragedy on April 20, 1999. Today, her family and friends speak to youth around the world about Rachel’s legacy of being a positive role model to everyone she met in life.
Also attending from the area were: Sarah Luallen and Rebeca Elliot, Cabool; Dakota Harlan and Sarah Shannon, Licking; Alaina Smith and Thomas Cobb, Summersville; Emily Chase, Salem; Isaac Taylor, Mountain Grove; and Giuliana Woods and Braiden Wells, Rolla. The students were sponsored by Intercounty Electric Cooperative of Licking.
The CYCLE program, which completed its 12th year, is a recipient of the National Community Youth Service award for the top youth program among all electric cooperatives in the country.