How to put the “YOU” in Youth Tour Trace McCuan, CEO
For many teens, the Government-in-Action Youth Tour is full of firsts. It may be the first time they leave the state, fly on a plane, visit the nation’s capital or travel away from their families for an extended period of time. They will see and experience the world through their own eyes, rather than through their parents’ perspectives—that’s the most important first, as it’s truly a leap in life, where their journey to adulthood begins. In preparation for Youth Tour, teens learn about cooperatives, our history and grassroots advocacy. Youth Tour sprang from a suggestion of then-Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson to a national gathering of coops. Johnson believed youths from rural areas would benefit from visiting Washington, D.C., to see firsthand how government works and gain a wider perspective through the experience. From this idea, Youth Tour formed. Every year, high school students from around the country are selected by their electric co-ops to participate in a weeklong trip to the nation’s capital, where they learn about the country and the world by visiting museums, monuments, memorials and more. The program has grown exponentially since its inception; last year’s tour saw more than 1,800 high school students participate from co-ops in 46 states. Texas sent a delegation of 147 students. Youth Tour is one of the most important programs that Nueces Electric Cooperative undertakes. I am consistently impressed by the caliber of students that our co-op sponsors. The week is interspersed with visits to important D.C. sites, including Capitol Hill. Activities with Youth Tour delegations from across the country enable teens to meet a broad spectrum of co-op kids. The program creates a safe space for teens to discover the adults they are striving to be. Teens leave behind their hometown identities 18
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and venture forward with a fresh slate. Students are encouraged to stretch themselves by talking to people they ordinarily wouldn’t. A highlight of Youth Tour is a meeting with congressional delegates. Teens learn firsthand that their elected officials work for their hometown communities. Students often have the opportunity to discuss issues with legislators, and our chaperones always are impressed with the interactions and questions asked by our students. Youth Tour culminates in a farewell evening that centers on challenging and inspiring teens to go forward from the tour and make an impact in their communities. As conversations evolve, so do the teens’ worldviews. Their definition of “community” often changes from their hometown to a broader meaning. I can say that nearly all teens who have participated in our Youth Tour program look back with fond memories of an educational, interesting and eventful week. Many make lifelong friends. For a few, Youth Tour is a transformational experience. Parents often remark how their children return noticeably different—more mature, more confident, with bigger goals and aspirations; they have a sense of purpose. Our teens are our future, and it’s looking brighter every day. I hope you will consider urging your teen to “take the leap” and join our next Youth Tour delegation. Nueces Electric Cooperative is proud to send four high school juniors on this trip of a lifetime in June of 2018. Our Youth Tour delegates are chosen based on their applications including a very short essay and a simple interview. Our applications are open now through January 17 at 5 p.m. Please visit https://nueceselectric.org/content/youthleadership-tour-2018 for more information. www.nueceselectric.org
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2018
Youth Leadership Tour Win the trip of a lifetime!
The Govenment-in-Action Youth Leadership Tour 2018 is an all-expense-paid trip for high school juniors to learn about different aspects of the government, meet their members of Congress and visit historical sites. Each year, NEC sends four delegates from the cooperative to participate. This year’s trip will begin in Austin, Texas on Wednesday, June 6 and continue on to tour sites in Washington D.C. before the trip concludes on Friday, June 15. The travel package, valued at more than $3,000, includes air transportation to and from Washington D.C., hotel stay, meals, admission fees, and $250 cash for extra expenses. PLUS: Each winner will also receive a $1,000 scholarship, should they attend an accredited Texas college or University.
Essay Topic: You are in charge of the energy efficiency
program at your school. Describe ways you would recommend for your school to use electricity more efficiently.
Application Deadline: January 17, 2018
How to apply:
Ju n Ap iors To ply da y!
Complete the 2018 Nueces Electric Cooperative Youth Leadership Tour Application form which can be found on nueceselectric.org Submit a 400-600 word essay on the topic “You are in charge of the energy efficiency program at your school. Describe ways you would recommend for your school to use electricity more efficiently.” Finalists will interview to determine the final four winners that will take this Youth Leadership Tour trip of a lifetime. Applicants must have consent of and reside in the home with a parent or legal guardian who is a current Nueces Electric Cooperative member. www.nueceselectric.org
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WHAT TO DO IF …
Resolve to Save Energy in 2018 Saving energy—and money—should be on everyone’s resolution list. Here are 10 quick tips to help you get started in 2018. 1. Replace your lightbulbs. Most people have switched from traditional incandescent bulbs by now, but in case you’re still on the fence: An $8 LED lasts up to 25 times longer and costs only $30 to operate over that period. 2. Beef up the insulation in your attic. Attics can be sources of heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer. Payback varies by region, but it’s usually within two years, and your home’s comfort will show a difference. 3. Install programmable thermostats. Up to 20 percent of the average home’s yearly energy bill goes toward heating and cooling. Programmable thermostats save money by adjusting the temperature during unoccupied hours. 4. Maintain your HVAC system. Heating and cooling system equipment runs best when maintained. Change your filters on a regular basis and have equipment serviced annually to make sure it’s running efficiently. 5. Unplug. Check around the house to see if devices are unnecessarily plugged in. Cellphones, chargers, TVs, entertainment systems, computers and appliances still draw power when not in use. 6. Weatherize. Weatherizing your home means sealing against airflow around doors, windows and places where pipes enter the home. 7. Conduct your own energy audit. Do you really need two refrigerators? Is there a fish tank with no fish? Is your house so hot in the winter that you need to wear a Hawaiian shirt? Walk around your house to check for—and eliminate—wasteful energy loads. 8. Replace your single-pane windows. Upgrading to more energyefficient windows can help control temperature and air infiltration in your home. It can be costly, but payback can take just a few years. 9. Upgrade your appliances. Energy Star-rated appliances mean more energy efficiency and can save you hundreds of dollars over their life span. 10. Contact NEC for information about energy efficiency or visit our website for some more helpful tips. 20
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Accidents happen. Would you know what to do if your car crashed into an electric utility pole? Knowing what to do—and what NOT to do—could be the difference between life and death. Always consider power lines and other electrical equipment to be live and dangerous. If a power line falls on your vehicle and there is no fire, your safest option is to stay inside your vehicle until help arrives. The vehicle acts as a path for the electrical current to travel to reach the ground. You are safe inside the vehicle, but if you get out, you could be electrocuted. If a power line falls on your vehicle and there is a fire, to exit safely: - Jump out of the vehicle, making sure NO part of your body or clothing touches the ground and vehicle at the same time. - Land with both feet together and take small, shuffling steps for at least 40 feet away from the vehicle. - The ground could be energized. Shuffling away with both feet together decreases the risk of electrical shock. In either situation, call 911 and your power line company for help.
S A F E E L E C T R I C I T Y. O R G
M A R K R YA N D E S I G N S | I S TO C K . CO M
Your Car Crashes Into a Utility Pole
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Sources of the Dreaded ‘Vampire Loads’
TA N YA- ST O C K | I ST O C K . C OM
Perhaps you are familiar with an undesirable aspect of the electronic and internet-of-things revolution: vampire loads. Vampire loads come from devices that use electricity even when they appear to be off. The primary culprits are chargers, cable and satellite TV boxes, instant-on TVs and gaming systems. There are others, but these four represent the major offenders. Let’s look at how vampire loads occur and why they are approaching 10 percent of average household electricity use, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Chargers take 120 volts of power at the outlet and reduce it to the voltage required by the connected device, usually 5–12 volts. Obviously, when your device is charging, the charger is using electricity—but you might be surprised to learn that chargers still use small amounts of energy even when they’re not connected to anything. Cable and satellite TV boxes also consume energy when they appear to be inactive. Anytime the box’s lights are on, it is using power. Like chargers, they use more when the television is on, but they are always working—even when the TV is off. This is especially true for those devices with a DVR function that records your favorite TV shows. The instant-on television is another culprit. The intention of the instant-on feature is instant gratification for the viewer, meaning there’s no waiting for the TV to turn on and warm up. Unfortunately, for that convenience, the TV must remain on standby at nearly full power, that can be a real energy drain. A typical gaming console can use as much energy as a refrigerator, even when it’s not being used. Make sure to check the console settings and disable automatic updates, which are where the main energy drain comes from. Games on the console are frequently updated, and each update requires a lot of electricity. So how does the average family combat these dreaded vampire loads? Garlands of garlic? Silver bullets? Fortunately, none of the remedies of fable are necessary. You just need to change how you handle these energy-sucking electronics. Here are a few suggestions: www.nueceselectric.org
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- Unplug chargers when not in use. - Invest in smart power strips. These look like normal power strips but have a twist: One of the outlets is the “master” that receives power all the time. The others are off. When the device connected to the master outlet turns on, the rest of the outlets receive power, too. Ingenious and perfect for entertainment setups. Plug the television into the master outlet, and when you turn it on, the cable or satellite box, speakers, streaming devices, etc. will turn on, too. These are also ideal for PCs and their peripherals. - Disable the instant-on function on your TV. Turn off cable and satellite boxes that do not contain DVR functionality, or use a smart power strip. - Disable automatic updates in gaming consoles and turn the consoles completely off when you finish using them. - When replacing any device or appliance, look for an Energy Star-rated product. These energyefficient items save you money in operating costs. Vampire loads are a real problem that will only continue to grow as the digital age advances. But you can fight the vampires with vigilance and application of the recommendations above. Visit NEC online for more energy-saving advice. NUECES ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
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Ramiro De la Paz Memorial
SCHOLARSHIP
Nueces Electric Cooperative awards high school seniors of cooperative members scholarships each year. This year, there are three different types of scholarships that will be awarded. Students planning to attend a 4-year college or university in Texas are eligible to apply. Two Grand Prize scholarships of $4,000 and ten $1,000 scholarships will be awarded. Students planning to attend a 2-year college or vocational school in Texas for a career related to the electrical industry (GIS mapping, communications, engineering, etc.) are eligible to apply. Ten $1,000 scholarships will be awarded. Applicants must be a member or reside in the home with a parent or legal guardian who has been a Nueces Electric Cooperative member for a minimum of six months as of the application deadline date.
NEW: Any member/dependent of a member planning to attend a Texas lineman’s college are eligible to apply for a new scholarship. Two $5,000 scholarships will be awarded.
Two $5,000 scholarships and
Two $4,000 scholarships and
Twenty $1,000 scholarships
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co Ca l l i lle ng g stu e -b all de oun nt s d
ts ou I f y p a re n s r er u b o , m y or e me o - op a ar he C win o f t co u l d h i p ! rs yo u h o l a sc
For Applications & Details: www.nueceselectric.org
Application deadline: February 12
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ll nd
LinesDown— But Not Out
Weather and car accidents are the main causes of downed power lines. Always stay clear of power lines. Even on the ground, they can carry an electric current strong enough to cause serious injury or death. Here are some rules to follow: * I f you see a downed power line, move away from the line and anything touching it.
* T he proper way to move away from the line is to shuffle away with small steps, keeping your feet together and on the ground at all times to mini-
Nueces Electric Cooperative encourages you to always practice safety.
mize the chance of presenting a human path for electric current.
* I f someone is in direct or indirect contact with the downed line, do not touch the person. Call 911 instead.
* Don’t try to move a downed power line or anything in contact with the line by using another object such as a broom or stick.
* D on’t drive over downed power lines. * If you are in your car and it is in contact with a downed line, stay in your car unless it is on fire. Honk your horn for help but tell others to stay away from your vehicle. Call 911 if you have a cellphone or ask passersby to do it. www.nueceselectric.org
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2018
Christmas Card Contest
RULES:
Entries must be hand-drawn and follow the contest theme of combining electricity or lineworkers with a Christmas or holiday component. All entries must be received by 5 p.m on Wednesday, January 24. All submitted works must be an original concept and not a copy of anyone else’s copyrighted material. If your image infringes upon another’s copyright, it will be disqualified. Upon submitting your work to NEC for this contest, you are solely responsible for any infringement on copyrighted materials. Artwork must be delivered to the NEC offices or emailed in a JPG format that does not exceed 1MB. A one-page submission form (found on nueceselectric.org) must also be completed and returned with the artwork submission to be considered a complete entry. All artists must be dependents of a current member of Nueces Electric Cooperative. Children 18 and under are eligible to participate. One grand prize winner and one runner up will be determined in each of the three age categories, listed below. Winners will be annouced in the March edition of Texas Co-op Power magazine. The three grand prize winners will each receive a $100 electric bill credit and a $100 Wal-Mart gift card. The three runner ups will each receive a $50 electric bill credit and a $50 Wal-Mart gift card. NEC will also determine which of the winners’ artwork will be featured on the 2017 NEC Christmas Cards. Visit NuecesElectric.org for the submission form.
Three $200 GRAND PRIZES
Christmas Card Categories 8 & Under
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9 - 13
14 - 18
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Payment Options: Pay Online www.nueceselectric.org Access your account 24 hours a day from any computer to view usage, make payments or manage your account. Just click on “Pay Your Bill”, on the left side of our Homepage and it will take you to the SmartHub account portal.
Pay With Your Smart Device Download the SmartHub app to your iPhone or Andriod device. View usage, weather impacts, make payments and manage your account any time of the day.
Auto Draft: Sign up to have your bank account or credit card drafted for your monthly bill. You can sign-up via your SmartHub online account.
Equal Payment Plan Through this payment program, a member’s usage is averaged for the year and the member makes equal payments each month. See more information and sign up online under the Member Services ->Payment Options menu tab, or call the office.
Pay by Phone: 800-NEC-WATT (800-632-9288)
Pay in Person: Pay your bill at any one of our Customer Service centers located in Calallen, Ben Bolt, Ricardo or Orange Grove.
Pay by Mail: P.O. Box 659821, San Antonio, TX 78265
Pay at the Payment Kiosk Quick, easy, and accessible 24 hours a day, the Kiosk is located at the Calallen office. Payments post immediately to your account.
Payment Services Pay using any Fidelity Express Pay Stations or for an additional $1.50 service charge. Search online to find a payment station near you.
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Find us on the web at: www.nueceselectric.org Call us at: 361-387-2581 or 1-800-632-9288 Your Elected Board of Directors: Brian Menking: District 8, President Bill Hartman, District 7, Vice-President David Rosse, District 3, Secretary Treasurer Tommy Ermis, District 6, Asst Secretary-Treasure Johnny Alvarado, District 9 Gladys Lippincott, District 10 (Retail) Donald Herrmann, District 4 Maxine Stewart, District 5 Gregg Truesdale, District 2 Rumaldo Z. Juarez, District 1
Main Office / Mailing Address: 14353 Cooperative Ave Robstown, TX 78380 (Calallen) M-F 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Ben Bolt Service Center: 5646 S. Hwy 281 Alice, TX M-F 8 - 12/ 12:30 - 4 Ricardo Service Center: 123 CR 1026, Ricardo, TX M-W-F 8 - 12 / 12:30 - 4 Orange Grove Service Center: 5302 W. FM 624 T-Th 9 - 12 / 1 - 4 (FM 624 & Hwy 281)
Use the NEC Outage Viewer to view outages 24-hours a day with any device. The Outage Viewer is located on the homepage our website.
NEC Power Providers
PLEASE NOTE: The (CRs) listed below have completed the process to qualify to serve NEC area members. This provider list is subject to change. For the most up-to-date list of providers, please monitor our website nueceselectric.org or you can obtain a list from any NEC office.
AP GAS & ELECTRIC COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL APOLLO POWER & LIGHT COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL BLUESTAR ENERGY COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL ONLY CHAMPION ENERGY SERVICES COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL CONSTELLATION ENERGY COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL ONLY CORAL POWER SOLUTIONS LARGE COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL DYNEGY COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL ENERGY TRANSFER LARGE COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL ENERTRADE ELECTRIC LARGE COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL HINO ELECTRIC COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL MPOWER /MP2 COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL ONLY NEC CO-OP ENERGY RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL & INDUST TENASKA LARGE COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL ENCOA (TERM) COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL ONLY SMARTCOM ENERGY SERVICES COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL ONLY STARTEX POWER LARGE COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL SOURCE POWER & GAS COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL V247 RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL & INDUST
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