White River Valley Electric Cooperative Announces Youth Tour Winners
Pictured (Left to Right): Cassie Cunningham, WRVEC Manager of Communications and Member Engagement; Beverley McNece, Lutie High School; Benjamin “Heath” Stark, Branson High School; Lyllian Puckett, Bradleyville High School; and Nathan Stearns, WRVEC Community Programs Coordinator.
Branson, Missouri –
White River Valley Electric Cooperative is proud to announce the winners of the 2022 Youth Tour essay competition. Three area students will represent WRVEC and travel to Washington, D.C., with the national Youth Tour on June 13-19.
The 2022 winners are Lyllian Puckett (Bradleyville), Benjamin “Heath” Stark (Branson), and Beverley McNece (Lutie). The winners were chosen from a group of 10 finalists during the annual Youth Tour banquet on April 1. The banquet was held at College of the Ozarks this year.
The other finalists were Cristina Hernandez (Hollister), Gavin Allred (Branson), Kenneth Martin (Nixa), Laurynn Brooks (Ava), Olivia Maggard (Bradleyville), Morgan Brown (Forsyth), and Kloey Alms (Branson).
High school juniors from participating schools across WRVEC’s five-county service area submitted an essay or video that answered the question, “How will the Cooperative Power my future?” At the banquet, the finalists all took a quiz about electric cooperatives and presented their essays in front of friends, family, and a panel of guest judges. The scores from these events were combined to select the winners.
“These students are already impressive,” said Cassie Cunningham, WRVEC Manager of Communications and Member engagement. “We are thrilled to encourage their growth in leadership and teach them the cooperative way.”
Pictured (Left to Right): Lyllian Puckett (Bradlyeville), Olivia Maggard (Bradleyville), Gavin Allred (Branson), Beverly McNece (Lutie), Benjamin “Heath” Stark (Branson), Laurynn Brooks (Ava), Kenneth Martin (Nixa), Cristina Hernandez (Hollister), and Morgan Brown (Forsyth).
The three finalists will join more than 1,200 other winners from electric cooperatives across the United States. The all-expenses paid trip to Washington D.C. will include touring national monuments, visiting with elected officials, and experiencing government in action. In addition, they will receive a $1,500 scholarship from the Operation Round Up Trust board; and an invitation to attend the WRVEC 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 2023 program will be accepted 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.
