Youth Leadership Council

Created by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), YLC is a group made up of one representative from each state who participates in Youth Tour. The purpose of the YLC conference is to build leadership skills, public speaking skills, and enhance the delegates’ knowledge of the energy industry and the cooperative form of business. These students also make presentations at their state and local cooperative meetings, as well as represent their Youth Tour delegation at national meetings.

Selection Process for YLC

So … how does it work?

Phase 1: Application & Essay

You will submit an application & essay during a certain timeframe and judges will select 10 finalists to move to Phase 2.

Phase 2: Interview

The 10 finalists will be interviewed by judges who will ask questions pertaining to rural electric cooperatives, cooperative business model, leadership experiences and public speaking potential. Judges will select 3 “peer leaders” to move to Phase 3

Phase 3: Speeches & Peer Questions

During the “DC Prep Seminar, the three selected “peer leaders” will give short impromptu speeches in front of the Oklahoma Youth Tour student delegation and chaperones. Student small groups will have an opportunity to ask each “peer leader” questions, following their speech. Speeches will be limited to 5 minutes and question sessions limited to 10 minutes.

The Oklahoma YLC Representative will be announced during Youth Tour.

 

Expectations of a YLC Representative

As the student representative for your Youth Tour class, you will be expected to lead by example, both on the trip and after. You will be held to higher standards and asked to uphold those standards in your role throughout your year of service. Your peer participants will look to you as an example on the trip.

While on the trip, you will have additional roles, as the representative for Oklahoma. During Youth Day, you will represent the Oklahoma student delegation in the parade of states and introduce yourself on stage. YLC representatives will come back to Washington, D.C., in July, for a leadership workshop which will focus on the electric cooperative industry.

 

Each student will prepare a 5-7 minute speech about what inspired them during their Youth Tour trip.

Also, the YLC National Spokesperson will be selected to address the membership at the NRECA Annual Meeting and to address the Youth Tour delegates the following year.

The purpose of the YLC conference is to build leadership and public speaking skills, and to enhance the delegates’ knowledge of the energy industry and the cooperative form of business. These students will also make presentations at their statewide and local cooperative annual meetings.

Members of the YLC play an important role during NRECA’s Annual Meeting the following spring. Not only are the YLC members recognized on stage, they have a hands-on experience with virtually every facet of the meeting including the resolutions process and helping our members communicate with their legislators.

Youth Leadership Council members leave more poised, confident and a better developed leader with a strong determination to improve your community and make their country a better place. Further, they leave having built life-long friendships with other student leaders from across the country.