Youth Involvement

Summer vacation is looking brighter for three area teens—winners in this year’s Youth Tour Contest. In June, Conner Biggs of Norman, Josh Horton of Moore and Janet Rogers of Oklahoma City will travel to Washington, D.C. as OEC’s delegates on the National Rural Electric Youth Tour.

As members of the Oklahoma delegation on Youth Tour, Biggs, Horton and Rogers will enjoy a unique and fun-filled, all-expense paid journey around our nation’s capital. The trip, organized by the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, teaches students about electric cooperatives and demonstrates how the American system of government works. In addition to visiting national landmarks and popular historical sites, the students will take part in Youth Day with students from every state, and have the opportunity to meet with members of Oklahoma’s Congressional delegation.

The high school juniors earned their place on the week-long tour by scoring highest in the final phase of OEC’s two-part essay and speech contest.

Eight essay finalists attended a banquet at OEC on April 3. A panel of judges interviewed each contestant, scoring them on knowledge of the subject, speaking ability, poise and personality and appearance. The speech is worth 60 percent of the overall score.

Biggs, whose older sister Mary Katherine was a 2006 Youth Tour Contest winner, also won a drawing for a Nintendo DS game system. Each student who entered the contest was eligible for the drawing, which was held prior to the speech contest. Biggs, the son of Mike and Jonna Biggs, attends Christian Heritage Academy in Del City. He holds a part-time job, volunteers at his church and enjoys playing golf and working out.

Horton, who lives in Moore, attends Community Christian School, where he is a member of the football and basketball teams. He also is an active member of the Student Leadership Institute and is involved at church and in the Civil Air Patrol, an auxiliary to the Air Force. Josh is the son of Jeff and Patty Horton.

Rogers, also a student at Community Christian School, enjoys singing, reading, missions work and art. She is the daughter of Rick and Mary Rogers.

Contest runner-up was Kaylin Hendrix of Norman. Her parents are Kim and Vince Montgomery.

Hendrix is a varsity cheerleader at Community Christian School, where she is a member in Student Leadership Institute as well as the Key Club.

Other finalists were Mark Gibson, the son of Sylvia and Mark Mason of Oklahoma City; Douglas Idlett, the son of Dennis and Jennie Idlett of Lexington; Ryan Power, the son of Kyle and Kim Power of Norman; and Resen Praytor, the son of Stan and Alana Praytor of Noble.

Dr. Nicki Moore, director of psychological resources for the University of Oklahoma Athletics Department, James Tyree, a news reporter for the Daily Oklahoman, and senior associate athletics director for OU Stephanie Rempe judged this year’s contest.

OEC invited the gifted and talented classes of Newcastle Elementary School to an Earth Day Celebration at the Blue Canyon Wind Farm. Forty-four third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students and a host of parent/chaperones enjoyed the April 22 activities-filled educational tour.

About 600 area schoolchildren took part in the Earth Day celebration over a two-day period. Western Farmers Electric Cooperative hosts the event to spread awareness about electrical safety and the benefits of clean renewable wind power.

In addition to getting a close-up view of the massive wind turbines, the students attended an electrical-safety demonstration, competed in a recycling relay (aka: a dash to throw away lunch trash), and assembled anemometers using cone-shaped cups.

The first phase of Blue Canyon Wind Farm, which consisted of 45 turbines, began commercial operations in December 2003. Phase II was completed in December 2005. There are now 129 turbines installed along the mountains’ ridge; WFEC buys the power produced by 76 of the wind turbines—74.25 megawatts. The generation and transmission cooperative from which OEC gets its power plans to add another 19 megawatts of wind to its energy portfolio later this year.

Gina Duckwall, the Newcastle teacher who organized the school’s field trip said it was a tremendous opportunity. In a thank you letter to OEC, Duckwall wrote, “We have been studying about renewable energy and taking care of our planet with the 3R’s (reduce, reuse and recycle). This was a great way to finish our unit.”

OEC’s marketing and member services director, Jack Ferrell, agreed. “Students never forget these special hands-on learning experiences. Whether you’re a child or an adult, it’s an impressive sight,” he said.