Jeffries, Fletcher Named Energy Camp Winners

Bethany Jeffries of Norman and Emma Fletcher of Newcastle were recently named 2020 Energy Camp winners. Energy Camp, a fourday, action-packed camp held at Canyon Camp and Conference Center near Hinton, brings together about 90 incoming high school freshmen from across the state to learn about co-ops, form their own co-op, learn teambuilding and grow their leadership skills.

Tasked with a short essay about what leadership means to them, winner Bethany Jeffries of Norman who attends Community Christian School wrote, "Leaders are not born but are made through hard work and learning from their own and other’s mistakes. Good leaders see what they can do for the people, not what the people can do for them."

Fletcher wrote, "Being a leader is very important and you don’t need to be president or work at the State Department to be a leader. You can be a leader in your school just by doing the right thing and being respectful, showing kindness and being helpful."

Unfortunately, Energy Camp, organized by the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives, is canceled this year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. An alternative, virtual plan is in the works.

YOUTH TOUR CANCELED

In lieu of the week-long, all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. this summer, the four Youth Tour winners — Cecilia Alali from Westmoore High School, Taylor McGill from Tuttle High School, Grace Miller from Blanchard High School and Kade Schuermann from Community Christian School in Norman — will receive scholarships after NRECA canceled all activities through June 24.

"We are devastated about Youth Tour getting canceled," said OEC Education and Outreach Programs Director Tory Tedder-Loffland. "While there is no true substitute for the Youth Tour experience, we hope the scholarships will help ease their disappointment. Once a Youth Tourian, always a Youth Tourian — trip or no trip. We consider them part of the co-op family now and we will continue to honor their achievement in any way possible."