Youth Leadership
Area Students win trip to Washington, D.C.
Dixie Electric Power Association
By: Pollyanna Gandy
Two students from Dixie Electric Power Association's service area won a trip to Washington D.C. for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association youth tour. They also attended the Youth Leadership Workshop in Jackson, sponsored by the Electric Power Associations of Mississippi.
Each year Dixie EPA conducts an interview competition to select its two youth tour representatives. The interview contest is opened to 11th graders living in Dixie EPA's service area. Julie Anna Wood from Wayne Academy and Brad Davis from South Jones High School won the competition.
Julie Anna and Brad participated in the Youth Leadership Workshop March 7th – 9th in Jackson. The seminar involves a combination of leadership training, team-building activities and a firsthand view of state politics.
The workshop was held at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Jackson. Sixty-eight students met their state representatives, senators and toured the Mississippi Capitol while the legislatures were in session. Governor Haley Barbour spoke to the students.
Julie Anna and Brad enjoyed breakfast with their representatives and senators. Speakers such as Barbie Bassett, Chief Meteorologist at WLBT, and Terry Rhodes challenged and encouraged the students to be a mentor in their communities and make a difference. Youth Tour Student Brad Davis said, “The speakers were some of the best I’ve ever heard.”
Challenge Country, owned by Gibbs and Jan Goodwin of Ellisville, provided an interactive seminar on team building and leadership for the students. Challenge Country is series of games and obstacles, created to improve leadership and team building skills.
In June the students toured Washington D.C., where they experience their nation's capital by meeting with the Mississippi Senate and House delegations. They toured the Smithsonian Museums, attend a Baltimore Orioles baseball game and enjoy many other sites in Washington D.C.
This year Brad was selected by interview process to represent all coops in Mississippi on the National level. He will have the opportunity to attend the National Youth Tour Conference in Washington D.C. and the NRECA annual meeting in California in February 2008. Brad will also speak at the 2007 EPA’s of Mississippi Annual Meeting in Tunica.
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association sponsors the youth tour each year. The program encourages 11th graders from rural areas throughout the United States to experience their nation's capital city. The trip is a living government class. Each year, approximately 1,500 students from across the nation attend the NRECA youth tour.
Julie Anna Wood is the daughter of Steve and Alecia Wood of Waynesboro.
Brad, is the son of Joey and Melissa Davis of the Ovett Community.
Dixie Electric Power Association would like to congratulate all of the students who participated in the Youth Leadership interview.
Yuri McSwain, Richton High School
Erin Realini, Heidelberg Academy
Daniel Landrum, South Jones High School
Kandice Flowers, South Jones High School
Laken Furr, West Jones High School
Kara Evans, Wayne County High School
Charles Tynes, Petal High School
Ashton Caves, Northeast Jones High School
Anna James, Wayne Academy
Kaylee Keith, Home School
Tiffany Woodhall, Perry Central High School
Brittney Danielle Hinton, Perry Central High School