Youth Leadership Congress Information

Each year Central Wisconsin Electric Cooperative (CWEC) sponsors students from area high schools to attend the Youth Leadership Congress (YLC).

The Congress is a two half-days event for youth leaders across Wisconsin to develop their leadership skills while learning about the purpose, operation, and scope of cooperative businesses. The Congress is open to high school students with family members who belong to a Wisconsin electric cooperative. Attendance will be limited to 200 students based on a first-come, first-registered basis.

The event is sponsored by Wisconsin's electric cooperatives and facilitated by WECA. It's a unique opportunity for youth across Wisconsin to develop their leadership skills while learning the purpose, operation, and scope of cooperative business.

Participants will have the opportunity to:

• See what makes the cooperative business model different and successful, and apply this knowledge to fun and challenging cooperative activities.

• Work together with other youth leaders from around Wisconsin to demonstrate the power and value of cooperation.

• Identify and develop your own leadership skills.

• Learn some of the important history that has shaped today's cooperatives.

• Discuss cooperative careers with professionals in the industry.

• Be entertained and challenged by highly acclaimed motivational speakers who understand teens and explore topics important and relevant in your life.

• Experience college life at a University of Wisconsin campus.

A few things that make this conference different:

This is a by-teens, for-teens cooperative leadership conference. It is planned and developed by a youth board elected at the previous year’s event.

• Attendees don’t pay. They are sponsored by their local electric cooperatives.

• Students spend three days on a college campus and experience a typical college environment, complete with living in the residence halls, attending sessions throughout campus, and even experiencing a university dining service.

• Finally, attendees elected to the youth board will not only plan the next conference their way; they also have the opportunity to attend the annual National Rural Electric Cooperative Association National Youth Tour in Washington, D.C., the following June.

WHO SHOULD APPLY

• High school students with family members who belong to a Wisconsin electric cooperative.

• Students active in their school and community.