Northfork Electric’s 2024 Youth Tour delegates emerged from four finalists on Tuesday, January 30 during the cooperative’s annual Youth Tour Finals Banquet.
Tavi Holland, a junior from Cheyenne High School, and Jantz Horton, a junior from Hammon High School, were named winners of the contest. Holland is a student of Ms. Lia Hillman and Horton is a student of Ms. Mary Cole.
“It is our goal with the opportunity to educate our youth about the history of rural electrifi cation, member-owned electric cooperatives and the Seven Cooperative Principles,” said Connie Ferrero, NFEC’s Youth Services Coordinator. “This year’s finalists prepared well for the contest and shared a great deal of knowledge and enthusiasm during their interviews.”
As Youth Tour winners, Holland and Horton will each receive an all-expense paid trip to Washington D.C. June 14- 20, 2024 with delegations of other co-op students from across the country. During their trip to Washington D.C., the youth will visit the capital city’s many memorials and museums, Mount Vernon, and the Arlington Cemetery.
The group will also have the opportunity to visit with many elected officials.
Runners-up in the local contest were Avery Cannon from Cheyenne High School and Bryson McKenzie from Hammon High School. McKenzie was the alternate finalist, participating in the absence of Leedey High School, Kristen Smith, who was unable to compete due to illness on Tuesday. Cannon is also a student of Ms. Hillman and McKenzie is taught by Ms. Cole. Smith is instructed by Ms. Morgan Lady at Leedey. As runners-up, both Cannon and McKenzie have the opportunity to serve as delegates at the 2024 Leadership Summit in Oklahoma City on March 18, 2024 where they will receive a $500 scholarship. Students attending Leadership Summit will increase their understanding of how leaders create change, overcome obstacles, and serve others through their behavior and attitude.
The Youth Tour Contest officially began earlier in the school year when 11th grade students in the NFEC service territory were asked to write an essay of no less than 500 words with the writing prompt of “Describe a book or article that has inspired you and why.” The contest finalists were chosen based on their essays. The finalists presented their essays and completed an interview during the Youth Tour Banquet at NFEC headquarters in Sayre.
A panel of judges determined the winners based on the finalists’ interviews, including their knowledge of the Rural Electrification Act and electric cooperatives.
“We couldn’t be more delighted with the judges’ decision. All four of these students will make exceptional representatives of their schools, NFEC and the state of Oklahoma,” said Ferrero.
The NFEC Youth Tour contest is open each year to all 11th grade students who live or attend school in the NFEC service territory. Details for the 2025 contest will come out when the 2024-25 school year begins.
