CHEC Announces 2021 Youth Tour Scholarship Winners

For decades, Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative (CHEC) has proudly sponsored the Oklahoma Rural Electric Youth Tour Contest for high school juniors. The Youth Tour program is designed to educate students about the role of electric co-ops in the national economy, foster appreciation for the democratic form of government and instill invaluable leadership skills. Traditionally this contest not only awarded winners with scholarship money, but it also included an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. This trip of a lifetime has been an annual highlight for scholarship winners each year.

Unfortunately, the trip to Washington, D.C. was cancelled for 2021 due to concerns with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“While the cancellation of the trip was disappointing for all of us, our general manager, Juli Orme and our board of trustees immediately came up with a plan to turn lemons into lemonade,” said Brad Martin, director of member/public relations.

CHEC decided to take the money designated to pay for the trip and use it to increase the total scholarship amount to award over $8,000 to these deserving students this year.

Congratulations to the 2021 Youth Tour Scholarship recipients: Averie Amos from Stigler High School, Cale Abbott from Sallisaw High School, Andie Jones and Gabby Linares from Gans High School, Noah Thompson from Stigler High School, Kaly Winton from Sallisaw High School, and Cason Wright from Vian High School.

Andie Jones, Gans High School

Gabby Linares, Gans High School

Averie Amos, Stigler High School

Noah Thompson, Stigler High School

Cale Abbott, Sallisaw High School

Cason Wright, Vian High School

Kaly Winton, Sallisaw High School