2008
Youth Tour
Winner Announced!
Graham selected as Youth Tour representative
Beltrami Electric has
selected Cody Graham to represent the cooperative on the 2008 Youth
Tour. Cody attends Bemidji High School holding the office of Class
President currently and previously in 9th and 10th
grade. He is also the I.S.D. 31 School Board Student Representative.
Some of Cody’s many public speaking experiences include Bemidji Day at
the Capitol giving multiple presentations to small assemblies of both
community leaders and legislators.
Cody will join
hundreds of high school students representing their cooperatives on an
all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. June 14-19 as part of the
annual Youth Tour sponsored by the National Rural Electric Cooperative
Association, the Minnesota Rural Electric Association and Beltrami
Electric. Candidates are required to submit an application, write a
500-word essay and submit two letters of reference from teachers, group
or community leaders.
The tour includes
visits to the Smithsonian, Mt. Vernon, the National Archives, Arlington
National Cemetery and the Jefferson, Washington, Lincoln and FDR
memorials. Representatives will also spend a day on “The Hill” meeting
with legislators and witnessing the day-to-day operations of the federal
legislature.
Cody was selected
based on his strong educational background and community involvement,
qualities that Beltrami Electric believes is important in our future
community leaders. In his essay “The Importance of the Cooperative
Business Model”, Cody talks of the value and benefits of the cooperative
model. Cody said, “I feel cooperatives are very beneficial to a
community…along with their positive outlook of the future (they) make
people feel secure in the decisions of the board of directors.”
Cody is the son of
Dave and Patty Graham of Bemidji. From the members of Beltrami Electric
we say, “Congratulations, Cody!”