SWPPD sponsors youths at REA camp

Five area youths attended the Nebraska Rural Electric Youth Energy Leadership Camp as counselors and campers July 19-23.
Sponsored by Southwest Public Power District, counselors Grant and Haley Walker and campers Jacksen Littrel, Cheve Lutz and Abigail Nelson traveled to the Nebraska State 4-H Camp at Halsey for the camp. The Walkers were returning counselors.
Campers must be freshmen, sophomores or juniors in high school and sponsored by a Nebraska REA member system.
At the camp, youths learned about the electric industry through workshops, demonstrations and presentations by Custer PPD, NREA, Central Irrigation and Public Power District and NPPD.
Traditional camp activities such as canoeing in the Middle Loup River and hiking were included around trips to tour the Gerald Gentleman Station near Sutherland and Kinglsey Hydroelectricity plant at Lake McConaughy.
“They also learn about the Public Power and coop board and management process by going through a mock exercise,” SWPPD’s Colyn Suda said.
Twenty member systems were represented by a total of 41 campers, along with eight counselors and six junior counselors.
Lutz was joined by Isaak Hogeland of Denton and Violet Schwager of Atkinson as ambassadors.