10 youth delegates sponsored by Wood County Electric Cooperative Inc. (WCEC) recently attended the 2016 East Texas Rural Electric Youth Seminar (ETREYS), a leadership camp designed to foster positive ideals, enhance leadership skills, and teach the cooperative philosophy. These youth joined approximately 120 participants, each sponsored by one of 9 East Texas electric cooperatives for the week-long camp help on the campus of East Texas Baptist University in Marshall.
The students representing WCEC were: Lane Blalock, Quitman; Spring Coleman, Mineola; Halie Daniels, Winnsboro; Aubrey Gilbreath, Quitman; Maddie Jones, Yantis; Jadi Lopez, Grand Saline; Brian Lyke, Mineola; Justin Noll, Winnsboro; Haylee Page, Lindale; and Marcus Tucker, Winnsboro. Also, returning from 2015 when she was elected Youth Director to help lead the 2016 camp, was Kaitlyn Sullivan, Harmony.
At ETREYS, there were teambuilding exercises as well as presentations by outstanding speakers such as retired professional New York Giants football player Keith Davis; and comedian and youth speaker Shannon Pickard. There were also opportunities to win scholarships.
Lane Blalock brought home the ETREYS Founders Scholarship valued at $2,500. The Juan D. Nichols Scholarship valued at $750 was earned by Brian Lyke, and Halie Daniels earned a $500 scholarship. Chosen by camp peers, Marcus Tucker was selected as WCEC’s Youth Director, and he’ll return in 2017 to help lead the camp.
WCEC CEO/General Manager Debbie Robinson said, “I’m so pleased that our cooperative is able to offer this all-expense paid opportunity for our regional youth. It’s memorable for all attendees and life-changing for many.”
Wood County Electric Cooperative, Inc. is a not-for-profit electric cooperative with the mission of providing member-customers reliable electric service at a reasonable rate. WCEC serves over 34,000 meters in parts of nine counties throughout northeast Texas, including Camp, Franklin, Hopkins, Rains, Smith, Titus, Upshur, Van Zandt, and Wood.