GRAYSON HANNA-DOWNEY

(Rock Energy - Youth Member)

Grayson Hanna-Downey, a Rock Energy Cooperative student member, placed third in Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association's (WECA) 2025 essay contest, which was open to students who attended the 2025 Youth Leadership Congress. Grayson attends Milton High School in Wisconsin.

For the basis of the essay, students were asked to write about: “electric cooperatives bringing reliable and affordable energy despite the many challenges they face (like limited resources and changing energy needs). For his third place finish, Grayson was awarded a $250 scholarship.

A total of 78 electric cooperative teens attended the three day Youth Leadership Congress (YLC) at UW-Stout in July 2025. At the event, YLC members participated in activities aimed at building leadership skills, including a session with special guests.

The annual WECA Youth Leadership Conference (YLC) is a dynamic three-day event sponsored by Wisconsin’s electric cooperatives and facilitated by WECA. It is a unique opportunity for youth across Wisconsin to develop their leadership skills while learning the purpose, operation, and scope of cooperative businesses.

What youth members do at YLC?

• See what makes the cooperative business model different and successful and apply this knowledge to fun and challenging cooperative activities.
• Work together with other youth leaders from around Wisconsin to demonstrate the power and value of cooperation.
• Identify and develop your own leadership skills.
• Learn some of the important history that has shaped today’s cooperatives.
• Discuss cooperative careers with professionals in the industry.
• Be entertained and challenged by highly acclaimed motivational speakers who understand teens and explore topics important and relevant in your life.
• Experience college life at a University of Wisconsin campus.
• For more information, go to: www.weca.coop/youth-education

A few things that make this conference different:
This is a by-teens, for-teens cooperative leadership conference. It is planned and developed by a youth board elected at the previous year’s event.

• Attendees don’t pay. They are sponsored by their local electric cooperatives.
• Students spend three days on a college campus and experience a typical college environment, complete with living in the residence halls, attending sessions throughout campus, and even experiencing a university dining service.
• Finally, attendees elected to the youth board will not only plan the next conference their way; they also have the opportunity to attend the annual National Rural Electric Cooperative Association National Youth Tour in Washington, D.C., the following June.