Youth Leadership Congress goes virtual in 2021

Each year Central Wisconsin Electric Cooperative (CWEC) sponsors students from area high schools to attend the Youth Leadership Congress held at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Due to COVID-19, the Congress will be held virtually this year on July 13-14.

This year’s Congress is free, and 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.

Sign up for the virtual Youth Leadership Congress

Participants will have the opportunity to:

• See what makes the cooperative business model different and successful, then apply this knowledge to fun and challenging cooperative activities.
• Identify and learn how to develop your own leadership skills.
• Discuss cooperative careers with industry professionals.
• Be entertained and challenged by highly acclaimed motivational speakers who understand teens and talk about topics that are relevant in their lives.
• This is a by-teens, for-teens cooperative leadership conference that is planned and developed by a youth board elected at the previous year’s event.

All students participating in the Youth Leadership Congress are eligible to enter the following contests.

Podcast Contest:

• 1st Place - $250
• 2nd Place - $100
• 3rd Place - $50

Scholarship Essay Contest:

• 1st Place - $1,000
• 2nd Place - $500
• 3rd Place - $250

Option for Students From CWEC Service Area To Participate

Even though the Congress is virtual this year, CWEC is inviting up to eight (8) students who live within the CWEC service area to “attend” the virtual event at the CWEC headquarters. There will be a limit of two (2) students per area high school. Students would participate in the Congress in the CWEC Community Room while social distancing. Wearing a mask would be required. Students will have to make their own transportation arrangements to and from CWEC headquarters.

Students who are interested in attending the Congress at the CWEC headquarters should first register for the event at the link above, and then contact Bert Lehman at 715-677-2211 or send an email to bert.lehman@cwecoop.com. 

Local students can also attend the Youth Leadership Congress from their own home. They just need to register for the event at the above link.