UEC picks two students for DC conference

HERMISTON – After a two year hiatus due to the pandemic, Umatilla Electric Cooperative has named two Hermiston High School students to serve as delegates for the 2022 Electric Cooperative Youth Tour in Washington, D.C. in June. Elizabeth Doherty and Hailey Gardner will be joining 1,500 other students from across the United States for the trip.

Doherty and Gardner will tour historical sites, meet with Oregon’s congressional leaders, and learn leadership skills. They will also create podcasts and undertake digital photo projects as they learn about electric cooperatives and current issues on energy and climate change legislation.

Doherty is active in FFA. She has participated in more than 30 competitions and won numerous honors. She is an FFA Chapter Star Farmer, an award for the chapter member with outstanding experience in production agriculture. She also works as a herd manager at her family’s farm and has recently expanded her business to include marketing, packaging, and shipping of prime cuts to customers around the U.S. After high school, she plans to study to become either an ophthalmologist or an oncologist.

Gardner has dedicated her years at Hermiston High School to academics and athletics. She is varsity captain of the girls swim team and is a member of the track team. She is also a member of the National Honor Society and Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America, the entrepreneurship club at Hermiston High School. Gardner has also been involved with the Hermiston Lions Club and Festival of Trees. After high school, she plans to pursue a degree in civil engineering.

“We are excited to have this opportunity available to the youth in our communities again,” Chief Executive Officer and General Manager Robert Echenrode said. “It’s a program that we hold in high regard at UEC. We are proud of all those who submitted applications and wish to thank all for being standout young adults across our region.”

---

Elkhorn Media Group

---

---