A junior from Cottondale High School, Haven White, and Marianna High School junior, Noah Mercer, were named West Florida Electric's Youth Tour competition winners on March 1. Kat Blackburn from Blountstown High School was named the alternate. These students will represent WFEC on the National Rural Electric Youth Tour taking place June 14-19, 2022, traveling to Washington, D.C. with other high school students from across the state and country.
The cooperative's Board of Trustees created a scholarship program linked to the Youth Tour program. Each year, a scholarship of $4,000 to Chipola College is awarded to the highest scoring participant from each county served by the cooperative. The scholarship recipients were: Kat Blackburn, Calhoun County; Kaden Lemieux, Holmes County; Haven White, Jackson County and Cass Dillard, Washington County.
Brayden Whitehead, a junior at Cottonwood High School, is the grandson of Susie Johnson, an employee of the cooperative. He competed in a separate essay competition for the children and grandchildren of employees, sponsored by the Florida Rural Electric Cooperatives Association. The winner of the essay competition wins a trip to Washington, D.C. and becomes the representative for the rural electric cooperatives of Florida. Whitehead placed second in the essay competition. Gracyn Johnson of Sneads, competed in the essay competition as well. Her grandmother is employed by Talquin Electric Cooperative in Quincy. She was selected as the winner of the essay competition and will represent the Florida Rural Electric Cooperatives Association on the trip to Washington, D.C.
WFEC Trustees (back row, l-r) George Clayton Owens, District 6; David Tatum, District 1 and Tim Alford, District 2, along with EVP & CEO, Ty Peel (front right) congratulate this year's Youth Tour winners. (Front, l-r) Kat Blackburn, Blountstown High School, Noah Mercer, Marianna High School and Haven White, Cottondale High School.
WFEC Trustees (back row, l-r) George Clayton Owens, David Tatum, and Tim Alford, along with EVP & CEO Ty Peel congratulate the 2022 WFEC Scholarship winners. (Front, l-r) Cass Dillard, Washington County; Kat Blackburn, Calhoun County; Haven White, Jackson County and Kaden Lemieux, Holmes County.