Four local high school juniors will serve as representatives for CAEC as they travel to Washington, D.C., June 10-16, to participate in the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Washington Youth Tour program.
William Burton, Prattville High School; Hope Hill, Elmore County High School; Isabella Sanders, Elmore County High School and Michael Wendland, Prattville Christian Academy; were selected Thursday, April 7, to serve as the cooperative’s Washington Youth Tour/Youth Leadership Program delegates. They will be representing CAEC among 1,500 high school juniors from cooperatives across the country. Kathleen Cox, Marbury High School, will serve as first alternate in the occurrence any of the delegates cannot fulfill their duties.
Burton, Hill, Sanders and Wendland will have the unique opportunity to learn more about leadership skills, the growing importance of political action and the cooperative business model while visiting historic sites and government offices.
Burton is the son of Ken and Laura of Prattville, Hill is the daughter of Trent and Tish of Wetumpka, Sanders is the daughter of Guy and Gina of Eclectic, Wendland is the son of James and Robin of Prattville and Cox is the daughter of Bill and Julie of Prattville.
The four Washington delegates and first alternate had previously qualified to participate in the Alabama Rural Electric Association’s (AREA) Youth Tour in Montgomery held on March 15-17. Four additional students had also qualified for the AREA Montgomery Youth Tour: Lauren Lightfoot, Holtville High School; Leah Temple, Prattville High School; Jana Venable, Elmore County High School; and Will Venable, Elmore County High School. While in Montgomery the nine students participated in learning and leadership opportunities provided through the program.
The Washington, D.C. winners were selected based on an application, an interview process and their demonstration of leadership skills.