White River Valley Electric Cooperative Youth Tour Winners Receive Scholarship
Pictured Left to Right: 2025 Youth Tour Winners, Ella Green (Hollister), Tyler Stankewitz (Nixa), and Gabrielle Thompson (Forsyth).
Branson, Missouri –
White River Valley Electric Cooperative (WRVEC) is proud to announce the winners of the 2025 Youth Tour essay and speech competition in which three area students will represent WRVEC and travel to Washington, D.C.
The 2025 winners are Ella Green (Hollister), Tyler Stankewitz (Nixa), and Gabrielle Thompson (Forsyth). The winners were chosen from a group of 13 finalists during WRVEC’s annual Youth Tour banquet held on March 28 at the College of the Ozarks.
The other finalists were Miles Bacon (Ozark), Quaid Hasler (Hollister), Remington Holmes (Branson), Aden Pense (Spokane), Cora Presson (School of the Ozarks), Jade Robison (Forsyth), Lillian Robison (Nixa), Brett Roussell (Ozark), Sierra Sims (Bradleyville), and Shiann Stafford (Bradleyville).
High school juniors from participating schools in White River Valley Electric Cooperative’s five-county service area submitted an essay or video that answered the question, “How will the Cooperative Power my Future?” At the banquet, finalists took a quiz about electric cooperatives followed by a presentation of their essays in front of friends, family, and a panel of judges.
“Hosting this prestigious banquet is both an honor and a highlight of the year,” said Nathan Stearns, Community Program’s Coordinator for WRVEC. “Listening to the perspectives and aspirations of each speaker was truly inspiring, reminding me that our future is bright!”
2025 Youth Tour Finalists Pictured Left to Right Front: Remington Holmes (Branson), Sierra Sims (Bradleyville), Ella Green (Hollister), Gabrielle Thompson (Forsyth), Jade Robison (Forsyth), Miles Bacon (Ozark). Back: Shiann Stafford (Bradleyville), Quaid Hasler (Hollister), Tyler Stankewitz (Nixa), Brett Roussell (Ozark), Lillian Robison (Nixa), Aden Pense (Spokane), and Cora Presson (School of the Ozarks).
The three finalists will join more than 2,000 other winners from electric cooperatives across the United States at the Youth Tour taking place in Washington, D.C. from June 15-21. Green, Thompson, and Stankewitz will each receive an all-expenses paid trip to the Nation’s Capital which includes touring national monuments, visiting elected officials, and experiencing the government in action. In addition, they will receive a $1,500 scholarship from the Operation Round Up Trust Board and an invitation to attend WRVEC’s annual meeting.
The annual Youth Tour contest is open to students who live and attend school in White River Valley Electric Cooperative’s service area, or who have WRVEC service in their homes. Submissions for the 2026 program will begin next spring. For more information about the Youth Tour program, visit https://www.whiteriver.org/community/youth-programs/youth-tour/.
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White River Valley Electric Cooperative is a Touchstone Energy Cooperative dedicated to ensuring our members receive safe and reliable service in their homes and businesses across five southwest Missouri counties including Ozark, Taney, Stone, Christian and Douglas.
