Iowa Youth Leadership Academy

Guided by our cooperative commitment to community, Nishnabotna Valley REC has a long history of supporting students in the communities we serve through scholarships and leadership opportunities. We’ve also been sending deserving high school students to our nation’s capital every summer for years as part of the National Electric Cooperative Youth Tour program.

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Iowa’s electric cooperatives are pleased to offer a new opportunity for rural students to learn more about advocacy, electric cooperative career opportunities and the cooperative business model with a three-part webinar series in October. The Iowa Youth Leadership Academy is open to any high school student in our service area, and they are invited to register at IowaYouthTour.com.

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Once students register online for the Iowa Youth Leadership Academy, they can attend the webinars from their own computer or mobile device or come to the Nishnabotna Valley REC office. Each Zoom session will last around 45-60 minutes and focus on a specific topic:

• Tuesday, Oct. 3, 7:00 p.m. – Cooperative Business Model

• Thursday, Oct. 19, 7:00 p.m. – Rural Iowa Advocacy

• Thursday, Oct. 26, 7:00 p.m. – Civic Involvement and Leadership

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At the end of each live session, one lucky attendee will be selected at random to win a pair of Apple AirPods. Students who attend all three sessions will be entered into a random drawing for a $1,000 college scholarship. All students who register online by October 1 will receive a special box of swag in the mail.

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During the Zoom sessions, students will be inspired by our line-up of speakers and presenters. Students will learn how to advocate for issues that are important to them and learn about leadership development from a motivational speaker. Attendees will also hear from former Iowa Youth Tour students who pursued their passion for government service and leadership after attending the week-long trip to Washington, D.C. The 2023 Electric Cooperative Youth Tour is slated for June 15-21 next summer.