Cuivre River Electric Announces Youth Tour Finalists

TROY - March 29, 2013. Cuivre River Electric Cooperative (CREC) is proud to announce the twelve area high school juniors who have been selected as the CREC Youth Tour finalists. They are Kaylee Cannon, Bowling Green HS; Sarah Huckstep, Clopton HS; Samantha Marre, Elsberry HS; Kelsey Castulik, St. Dominic HS; Zabada Abouelhana, Timberland HS;  Melissa Lamping, Troy Buchanan HS; Rachel Reckamp, Samantha Swoboda and Meghan Todd, Warrenton HS; Mary Burkemper, Elizabeth Cato and Sean Kruse, Winfield HS.

The twelve finalists were selected from 249 student essays focusing on “Cooperative Principles Make a Difference in My Community”. The seven cooperative principles include Voluntary and Open Membership, Democratic Member Control, Member Economic Participation, Autonomy and Independence, Education, Training and Information, Cooperation among Cooperatives and Concern for Community. The essays were judged based on student’s cooperative knowledge, composition, originality, grammar and neatness.

The CREC Youth Tour Final Competition and Awards Banquet will be held on April 17th at the CREC headquarters in Troy. The twelve finalists will take a small cooperative knowledge based quiz worth 50 points, and then present their winning essays to a board of distinguished judges and special guests. Their presentations will be judged on the student’s speaking ability, poise and personality, appearance and length of presentation.

The six students with the highest combined competition scores will become the 2013 CREC Youth Tour delegates, and receive an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D. C., June 14-20, to attend the National Youth Tour Conference. They will travel among 90 Missouri delegates, meet with more than 1,500 delegates from across the United States, visit Congress, tour Capitol Hill, and see national historic memorials and landmarks.

The six runners-up will receive a $250 scholarship to the college or university of their choice. Eleven teachers will be recognized for their continued support of the CREC Youth Tour program. They are Dana Moniger, Clopton HS; Sarah O’Brien, Elsberry HS; Daniel Hancock, St. Dominic HS; Jeremy Boesch and Kevin Porter, Timberland HS; Kristine Mennemeyer, Ryan Meyers and Melissa Surber, Troy Buchanan HS, Elizabeth Hancock and Kristine Heimburger, Warrenton HS and Sharon Bader, Winfield HS.

Cuivre River Electric Cooperative is the largest member-owned electric distribution cooperative in Missouri. It provides service to more than 60,000 residential, business, commercial, industrial and agricultural members in Lincoln, Pike, St. Charles and Warren counties. For more information on the Youth Tour or Cuivre River Electric Cooperative visit www.cuivre.com or contact Lonnie Tucker at 800-392-3709 ext. 230.