Cuivre River Electric Cooperative, Inc. (CREC) invites high school juniors of Lincoln, Pike, St. Charles and Warren counties to participate in the Youth Tour essay contest.“The Power of Cooperative Principles” is the essay topic chosen for students who enter the competition which began Feb. 2.This is Cuivre River’s 47th annual contest to select high school juniors to serve as delegates to the National Youth Tour Conference in Washington, D. C., June 12-18. “Youth Tour is our opportunity to share co-op values with a new generation,” Manager of Communications Mary Jane Clark says of the national program.“Students’ ideas about co-op principles keep our program fresh, while we plant the seeds of civic leadership that is so critical to our communities,” she adds.The first step for local students is an application and a 500-1,000 word composition on the topic above. Students may enter independently or through their schools. Contest entries are due March 13 and can be delivered or mailed to Cuivre River offices in Troy or Lake Saint Louis. Applications and contest rules are available at www.cuivre.com.“We’re very grateful for the support of teachers who offer their students this leadership opportunity and invite us to speak in their classrooms,” says Communications Specialist Lonnie Tucker.Cuivre River Electric Cooperative fully funds the participation of its delegates. There is no cost to students or families. Teachers who support this program and submit at least 10 student entries receive a $50 classroom grant from CREC.Students who submit the 12 top-scoring compositions become finalists. Their April 8 final competition challenge includes taking a cooperative knowledge quiz and presenting their compositions orally before judges, families and peers at Cuivre River’s Youth Tour Banquet. Six students will be chosen as Youth Tour delegates to Washington, D.C.; six will receive $250 scholarships to the college or university of their choice.Entries remain anonymous during preliminary judging by Cuivre River staff. Final judging of oral presentations is conducted by local community leaders and professionals from other cooperatives.The contest is open to students who live and attend school in Cuivre River’s general service area, or who have Cuivre River electric service in their homes. Immediate family members of Cuivre River employees and directors are not eligible.Since 1964 Cuivre River Electric has sponsored 198 students to the nation’s capital to visit their U.S. congressional delegations on Capitol Hill, take part in energy and grassroots government education and leadership sessions, see national historic memorials, landmarks and museums. More than 50,000 high school students sponsored by electric cooperatives have participated in the Youth Tour since the leadership program began.Cuivre River Electric Cooperative, Inc., founded in 1941, provides electricity to more than 60,000 homes and businesses in Lincoln, Pike, St. Charles and Warren counties. For more information on the Youth Tour, or to schedule a classroom program, contact Lonnie Tucker at 800-392-3709 extension 230, or email: ltucker@cuivre.com.Cuivre River Youth Tour