S.C. teen to return to D.C.

June 24, 2011

(Kingstree, SC) - Blake Graham, of Pawleys Island, has been selected to represent South Carolina on the Youth Leadership Council (YLC) of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA).  Graham will attend the YLC Conference, July 16-20, 2011, in Washington, D.C. The conference agenda includes leadership and team building exercises, meeting with congressional staffers who are “alumni” of NRECA’s Electric Cooperative Youth Tour, and a competition to select the NRECA’s National Youth Spokesperson.

“This experience will allow me the opportunity to meet other students who have similar goals and the desire to make our nation a better place,” said Graham of Santee Electric Cooperative.  “The leadership skills I have in my school, community and church can be used to learn as much as possible about our nation’s capital and the lawmaking process.”

Graham’s electric co-op experience began in June when he attended the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour in Washington, D.C. with 46 other South Carolina high school students and more than 1,500 students from across the country.  The South Carolina students selected Graham to serve as their representative on the YLC.

Graham, and the other members of the YLC will participate March 3-6, 2012 in NRECA Annual Meeting in San Diego, California.  They will provide assistance to the NRECA staff and co-op delegates, participate in the Parade of States at the opening General Session and take part in a variety of educational activities.