The Monday of Youth Tour week begins with National Youth Day. There is a special kind of energy when you have almost 2,000 delegates from rural America in the same room.
Students get the opportunity to learn about the rich history of electric cooperatives and the important role of being an active participant in our democracy. Whether they are eligible to vote or not, they are still constituents and their voice can and will be heard.
Youth Day is where the Youth Leadership Council (YLC) members are introduced. The YLC is composed of one student per state who are selected by their chaperones and peers. These students come back to Washington, D.C., in July and play an active role in the NRECA Annual Meeting the following spring.
The Youth Day program features speakers who motivate and honor that spirit of electric cooperatives’ commitment to community and the important role of being politically aware and politically active. There are countless examples of greatness and achievement gained by those who saw a need, took a stand, and did what was right — whether it was for their neighbors, their town, their state or their country.