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Current
A Publication of Cotton Electric Cooperative Inc.
“The Current - Informing Our Members Since 1957” VOLUME 65
November 14, 2022
NUMBER 3
2023 Youth Tour essay contest open for entries Are you or someone you know a high school junior in the Cotton Electric Cooperative service area? Looking for a trip of a lifetime to our nation’s capital while making friends from across the nation? Applying for Cotton Electric’s Youth Tour essay contest is a great opportunity to do so. Cotton Electric Cooperative is excited for another year of essay competition, where two finalists will go on an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. Youth Tour is a week of hands-on learning while making memories that will last a long time. Student finalists will learn about government and the cooperative business model, see historic monuments, gain leadership experience
and meet new people. Tyler Hertzler, a 2022 Youth Tour winner, encourages students to apply for Cotton Electric’s essay competition for the chance to experience this incredible opportunity. Hertzler said his favorite part of the trip was witnessing the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. “Watching the changing of the guard was one of the best things I have ever seen,” Hertzler said. “I wasn’t watching a history video. I was able to watch the real thing before my eyes. I can’t explain it.” To be eligible to enter the competition, contestants must be a high school junior in the Cotton Electric service territory. The student and their families do not
have to be Cotton Electric members; however, sons or daughters of Cotton Electric employees and board members are not eligible to participate in the contest. The contest is divided into three rounds. For the first round, applicants will submit an essay of 400-500 words on this topic: “Cotton Electric Cooperative operates on the Seven Cooperative Principles. Which three of these resonate most with you, and why?” Sources must be cited and do not count toward the total word count. Essays will be judged by the following criteria: knowledge of subject, 40%; originality, 30%; composition, 10%; grammar, 10%; and spelling and punctuation, 10%. All sub-
missions are made anonymous before submission to judges. Employees and board members of Cotton Electric will not serve as judges. The top 15 essays to move onto the second round – a live video interview, via Zoom. The question-and-answer interview between students and judges will be arranged by Cotton Electric. From there, the top five contestants will advance to the final round. They will be required to submit a recorded oral presentation of their essay. The top two presenters will be awarded with an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., in June 2023, or a $1,500 scholarship. The scholarship will be awarded
only if safety conditions do not allow for travel. “Youth Tour is a special opportunity that not everyone gets to do,” Hertzler said. “Words can’t describe how amazing and impactful this trip was. It truly was one of the greatest things I’ve experienced.” Another 2022 Youth Tour winner was Isabel Moore. One of the things she took away from the trip was the incredible sights she saw
in-pers o n that she had only seen before in movies or read about in books. “The whole trip was surreal to me,” Moore said. “It was a once-ina-lifetime opportunity. I am really thankful.” The deadline to submit an essay is 3 p.m. on Jan. 17, 2023. Apply online at www.cottonelectric.com/youthtour. For questions or more information, please call us at 580-875-3351 or email zyoung@cottonelectric. com.
Youth Tour Schedule 2023 Oct. 31, 2022 • Contest opens for entries Jan. 17, 2023 • Deadline to submit essays - 3 p.m. Feb. 9, 2023 • Live interviews for Top 15 Feb. 21, 2023 • Video presentations due for Top 5 June 7, 2023 • Youth Tour Meet & Greet in OKC June 16, 2023 • Youth Tour Banquet in OKC 2022 Youth Tour winners Tyler Hertzler and Isabel Moore in front of the White House on one of their many site visits during the trip.
June 17-23, 2023 • Youth Tour trip to Washington
Power Cost Adjustment Calculated The power cost adjustment now being applied to bills mailed after November 1, 2022, is $0.02400 per kWh.
On a member’s average bill of 1,300 kilowatt hours (kWh), this will amount to a charge of $31.20 on the October bill.
October 2022 Temperature Extremes Day High Low 16 72 60 17 66 42 18 61 37 19 71 33 20 83 39 21 92 41 22 95 64 23 90 66 24 75 51 25 70 44 26 70 40 27 73 48 28 55 52 29 67 53 30 74 45 Source: srh.noaa.gov/oun/ 31 76 41 Average Daily High: 78 Average Daily Low: 49
Day High Low 1 86 49 2 87 44 3 86 45 4 88 47 5 88 52 6 88 59 7 70 57 8 60 49 9 77 53 10 81 58 11 81 62 12 86 50 13 78 48 14 88 45 15 94 52
Avg. 68 66 66 68 70 74 64 55 65 70 72 68 63 67 73
Avg. 66 54 49 52 61 67 80 78 63 57 55 61 54 60 60 59
Did You Know? Cotton Electric offices will be closed on Nov. 24 and 25 for the Thanksgiving holiday. Emergency calls will be answered at 580-8753351 or 800-522-3520.
Contact Us
Do you have a story idea for The Current or do you need to place an ad? If so, let us know. We can be reached at 580-875-3351 or by email at TheCurrent@ cottonelectric.com. You can also drop us The next issue of The a line at Cotton ElecCurrent should arrive in tric Current, 226 N. mailboxes on Dec. 12, Broadway, Walters, OK 2022. 73572.
Mission Statement Our mission is to safely deliver reliable and affordable power, provide excellent member service, and improve the quality of life in the communities we serve.