Coosa Valley Electric Cooperative hosted a group of 10 high school students from across the service area for the annual Youth Tour Competition Day.
“The Youth Tour program is designed to recognize and develop student leadership while educating participants about electric cooperatives, civic engagement and the role they can play in shaping their communities,” said Kylie Entrekin, CVEC’s marketing and digital media specialist and Youth Tour organizer. “Finalists were selected based on their research and essays on how electric cooperatives impact the communities they serve.”
Winners of the Youth Tour represent Coosa Valley Electric Cooperative on the Electric Cooperatives Youth Tour trips to Montgomery in March and Washington, D.C., in June. The 2026 winners are Lillian Deloach of Fayetteville High School, Shay Chatman of Winterboro High School, and Jeffery Martin of Lincoln High School. They were selected from the finalists, which include Analeigh Warmack of Coosa Valley Academy, Brody Blevins of Westbrook Christian School, Finn Stacey of Coosa Valley Academy, Hadley Hilgers of Westbrook Christian School, Hope Hill of First Assembly Christian School, Glyndon Fomby of Lincoln High School, and Shelby Hanvey of First Assembly Christian School.
During Competition Day, finalists heard firsthand from the 2025 Youth Tour winners: Mac Tomlinson, Hannah Garrett and Danielle Prime. They shared how the experience shaped them far beyond the trips themselves.
Tomlinson of Coosa Valley Academy spoke about the personal growth she experienced through Youth Tour, emphasizing that the impact extended well beyond sightseeing.
“You see and do a lot of cool stuff, but you will also grow as a person,” she said.
She described how meeting people she would not normally encounter helped her step outside her comfort zone.
“I consider myself an introvert, and just getting to meet these people made me come out of my shell,” she said. “I think it was all so beneficial to me.”
Garrett of Winterboro High School recounted her time interacting with the nationwide delegates in Washington, D.C.
“Experiencing the Youth Leadership Council Youth Night, which included guest speakers, was extremely fun,” she said.
She wished the upcoming participants well and hopes they enjoyed their Youth Tour experience as much as she did.
“Good luck to all participants,” she said. “You will make lifelong memories while gaining lifelong friends; learning a lot of new things.”
Prime of Westbrook Christian School echoed those sentiments, calling Youth Tour a life-changing experience.
“I had no idea how impactful this would be for me,” she said. “It was a priceless experience.”
While the trips themselves were highlights, Prime said there were valued relationships formed along the way.
“I met so many people that I still talk to today and will love for life,” she said.
CVEC General Manager Jon Cullimore encouraged finalists to recognize the significance of simply reaching this stage of the competition.
“Congratulations on getting to the finals,” he said. “Every one of you worked hard to get here, and every one of you deserves to win.”
Entrekin said the goal of Youth Tour is to invest in students willing to lead, serve and dream bigger.
“The students who participated in this year’s competition made it clear that the future of our communities is in excellent hands,” she said. “We are proud to continue supporting the Youth Tour program and investing in the next generation of leaders. Competition Day serves not only as a selection process, but as a celebration of the ambition, character and potential found within the communities CVEC serves.”