Cannon County High School juniors Dustin Johnson and Lexie LaDuc were in Nashville March 21-23 for the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association’s annual Youth Leadership Summit. The juniors were selected and sponsored by Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE).
Delegates to the event receive a hands-on look at state government, learn networking and leadership skills and develop a better understanding of their local electric cooperatives.
Tre Hargett, Tennessee Secretary of State, welcomed the students to the Capitol where they visited with legislators, sat in on committee meetings and debated and voted on a mock bill.
“It was a great honor bestowed upon me to attend the 2022 Youth Leadership Summit in Nashville TN,” said Johnson. “I had such a good time learning more about how our state government operates. This has broadened my knowledge about electric co-ops and how they are tied to our state and local government, as well as our community. I also enjoyed meeting fellow Tennessee juniors, and I hope that the network connections I made there will follow me throughout my career.”
In addition to meeting lawmakers and experiencing the state Capitol, students also developed their leadership and teambuilding skills at the Joe C. Davis YMCA Outdoor Center at Camp Widjiwagen, completed a leadership training course with leadership expert Amy Gallimore and met Trooper Shane Moore and K9 officer Sumo from the Tennessee Executive Protection Detail. Students also spent a morning at Middle Tennessee Electric in Murfreesboro for a behind-the-scenes look at an electric cooperative.
“I had such a great experience at the Youth Leadership Summit. I learned so much about the workings of our state capital and the electric co-ops that help our community,” said LaDuc. “I am so thankful to have been selected for this trip.”
Delegates to the Youth Leadership Summit are encouraged to be leaders and use their talents to improve rural Tennessee.
“The future is built on the investments we make today, and there is no greater investment that we can make than to prepare these young people to face the opportunities and challenges of tomorrow,” said Todd Blocker, vice president of member relations for the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association and director of the Youth Leadership Summit. “These students are selected by their local electric co-ops, school officials and guidance counselors, and they truly are the best and the brightest. The Youth Leadership Summit is an example of the many ways that electric co-ops are building a brighter Tennessee.”
“The future of our community depends on strong, well-prepared leaders,” says Chris Jones, president/CEO for MTE. “Leadership is a skill that can be improved with effort and learning, and programs like the Youth Leadership Summit are investments that will pay dividends long into the future. It is an honor for MTE to help prepare them for the opportunities that are ahead.”
