On Tuesday, October 3rd, Dixie Electric held its annual Cooperative University – a day filled with educational sessions, interactive games, and networking opportunities for 30 local 11th grade student leaders, representing 10 schools and homeschool communities across Dixie Electric’s service area. The Cooperative University helps students learn about electric cooperatives, the electric power industry, and expand their leadership skills.
One of the highlights of the Cooperative University was the opportunity for these young leaders to interact with local legislators through a panel discussion. Senator Juan Barnett and Representatives Noah Sanford and Donnie Scoggin answered questions from students about current events in our state and nation.
The Cooperative University is the first step in a leadership-building process. From this group, judges selected 19 students to participate in a one-on-one interview to choose students to represent Dixie Electric as the 2024 Cooperative Youth Leaders. These students will attend a three-day leadership workshop in Jackson in the spring and a week-long, all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., in June.
The students chosen to represent Dixie Electric in the 2024 Youth Leadership Program are Drake Frazier from Wayne County High School and Ethan Nguyen from West Jones.
Through the Cooperative Youth Leaders program, Dixie Electric’s chosen representatives learn the value of the cooperative business model, grow in their leadership qualities, and experience the democratic process at state and federal levels.
