Energy Camp Excites Educates Local Teens

Four local students and one employee represented OEC at this year’s Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives’ Youth Power Energy Camp. The students were among 80 soonto-be high school freshmen from across the state sponsored by their local rural electric cooperatives to attend the camp.

Karter Caves from Amber-Pocasset, Kaitlyn Leitner from Noble, Amelia Blansett from Blanchard, and Jackson Busch from Oklahoma City enjoyed the four-day, action-packed camp, which is held annually at Canyon Camp and Conference Center near Hinton. OEC Member Service Associate Erin McKnight also enjoyed camp as a counselor.

One of the main goals of the camp is to teach the students about the cooperative business model and principles. This is achieved when they are assigned with the task of forming their own co-op. [6415403000]

“The campers were divided into seven coop districts,” said OEC Education and Outreach Programs Director Tory Tedder-Loffland, who helps organize the camp each year. “Each district was assigned a co-op principle as their theme. They made flags and created chants celebrating the meaning of their principle. This format allowed the campers many opportunities to practice leadership and support the unique strengths of everyone in the district.”

Blansett was elected to serve as a board director, while Caves and Busch both landed interviews for the co-op general manager. By the time camp was over, these young leaders knew the significance of the cooperative difference.

In addition to learning about cooperatives and electricity, campers climbed an electric pole, rode in a bucket truck, conducted team-building exercises, played games and more.

"I made a lot of new friends and learned how I can be a better leader in my community," said Caves.

"I learned so much about co-ops and I made so many new friends," said Blansett.

OEC awards trips to camp to eighth grade students through a referral process and essay contest each spring. Applicants must write about their idea of good leadership and identify the type of leader they want to be. For more information on next year’s camp, keep an eye on the Energy Camp page at www.okcoop.org/EnergyCamp.