Pella High School Senior Maddie Schmitz, the Pella Cooperative Electric recipient for the Iowa Youth Tour, was selected as the Iowa Youth Leadership Council (YLC) delegate during the National Rural Electric Cooperative (NRECA) Youth Tour trip to Washington, D.C. on June 18 through the 24.

Each state that participates in the Youth Tour selects one student to be a part of this national group known as the YLC. Schmitz will serve as the Iowa representative from June 2022 through March 2023.

“The Iowa Youth Tour was an absolute blast,” said Schmitz. “I met so many great students from across the state, met with some of our Iowa Senators and Representatives, toured monuments and historical sites, and learned about our nation’s electric cooperatives,” said Schmitz. “I’m honored to represent Iowa on the Youth Leadership Council and look forward to the upcoming year.”

Schmitz will attend the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperative’s (IAEC) Annual Meeting in Des Moines this December and an all-expense paid trip to the NRECA Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee next March. Of the national group, one student will be selected as the spokesperson for the YLC and give their speech at the NRECA meeting. She also receives a $1,000 scholarship from the IAEC.

“Investing in our next generation of leaders is a large part of our Cooperative’s mission. We’d like to congratulate Maddie for her hard work and determination,” remarked Doug Stewart, CEO of Pella Cooperative Electric. “She is a born leader and driven student that we’re proud to have her represent PCEA.”

Schmitz will join the other state representatives throughout 2022 for virtual meetings, participate in leadership training, polish their public speaking skills, attend co-op forums, and engage in community activities like voter registration drives.

“Maddie is a well-spoken, successful, driven student,” said Shelly York, IAEC Youth Tour Director. “Her school involvements and extracurricular activities have set her up to be a terrific delegate to the YLC.”