OTEC Announces D.C. Youth Tour Winners & Return of Idaho Youth Rally

By Shannon Weidemann (McKone) on Wednesday, March 16th, 2022 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News

BAKER CITY – (Release from OTEC) Following two years away due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative (OTEC) is excited to announce that four local high school juniors will attend an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C. this June.

Tayleur Baker, Crane Union High School; Isabella Beckner, Eagle Cap Innovation High School; Makenzie Flanagan, Baker High School; and Marissa Lane, La Grande High School, will represent the cooperative on a weeklong trip to the nation’s capital this summer to celebrate the 2022 Electric Cooperative Youth Tour.

OTEC’s 2022 Youth Tour delegates will represent Oregon and the Northwest and will join with more than 1,500 other students from across the United States for the once-in-a-lifetime trip.

“Youth Tour delegates come back energized with a broader understanding of their government, the nation’s history and the electric cooperative way of life and business model,” said Joe Hathaway, Communications Manager at OTEC. “Sponsoring students to attend the Youth Tour each year is an investment in the future leaders of eastern Oregon.”

Over the course of the tour, OTEC’s delegates will visit famous historical sites, meet with Oregon’s congressional leaders, and learn valuable leadership skills. The students will also create podcasts and digital photo projects as they learn about electric cooperatives and current issues in energy and climate change legislation that face their communities and our nation.

Idaho Youth Rally Returns

Also returning after two years is the Idaho Youth Rally, a prestigious summer leadership camp in Caldwell available to high school sophomores who attend school or are home-schooled in OTEC’s service territory of Baker, Grant, Harney, or Union counties.

Up to four local students will join other high schoolers from around the Western states to participate in a variety of activities and classes that promote positive relationships and build skills in leadership, teamwork, and perseverance. Students are given the opportunity to gain experience about government, drug and alcohol awareness, and the electrical/energy industry.

The Youth Rally will be held July 11-16. Applications are now open at otec.coop/idaho-youth-rally and the deadline to apply is May 9.

About the cooperative

Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative (OTEC) is a not-for-profit, member-owned electric cooperative that serves nearly 60,000 residents in four counties in Eastern Oregon. Headquartered in Baker City, OTEC has district offices in Burns, John Day and La Grande.