Camp for eighth graders back in full swing following pandemic
Three students represented OEC at this year’s Energy Camp, sponsored by Oklahoma’s electric cooperatives. Landon Reed from Blanchard, Grant Maher from Tuttle, and Joseph Tomas from Norman joined 55 of Oklahoma’s exceptional rising high schoolers who were selected by their sponsoring cooperatives to attend camp this year, which took place at Canyon Camp in Hinton, Oklahoma.
“This year’s camp was one of the best ever,” said Stacy Howeth, OAEC Director of Member Services and Energy Camp director. “I think we’re all so excited to be back together that we saw the experience through a renewed vision. This year’s campers were fun, smart, creative and respectful! It truly was a great group.”
Through various activities at Energy Camp, campers gained a wealth of information about the cooperative business model, power source generation, electric safety, the history of Oklahoma’s electric cooperatives and new leadership and communications skills.
The campers experienced the cooperative business model firsthand by electing a board of directors who then interviewed and hired a camp manager. The elected directors and camp manager maintained leadership roles during camp operations.
Additional camp activities included hands-on electric safety demonstrations including pole climbing, tabletop demonstrations, two renowned motivational speakers and an Energy Battle Tournament (a quiz bowl style challenge about electric cooperative trivia).
OEC’s Education and Outreach Programs Director Tory Tedder-Loffland led campers through Co-opoly, a cooperative education board game that requires teamwork, analysis and decision-making.
Campers also had a crash course on professional life skills such as budgeting, career options, working with people of different personality types, how to write and mail thank-you notes and interview tips and tricks.
Energy Camp is coordinated by the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives. Campers are selected and sponsored by Oklahoma’s rural electric cooperatives.