Future leaders meet state officials during Youth Day

SPRINGFIELD – For more than 60 years, the electric and telephone cooperatives of Illinois
have given tomorrow’s leaders the opportunity to learn from today’s public officials. On March 5, approximately 200 high school students from across rural Illinois represented 22 co-ops during Youth Day, including 9 students from McDonough Power and McDonough Telephone cooperatives.
“Youth Day offers students from across the state a firsthand experience of democracy in
action as they engage with their elected representatives in Springfield,” said Brooke Gross,
member services manager at the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives and facilitator of its youth programs. “This annual event provides state senators and representatives a chance to inspire and support the next generation of leaders.”

In addition to meeting elected officials, the students also learned more about their electric
or telephone cooperative’s role in their own communities and had the opportunity to tour the Capitol Building and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.

State Representatives Dan Swanson (R-71) and Norine Hammond (R-94), and Senator
Mike Halpin (S-36) met with the students representing McDonough Power and McDonough
Telephone. These students included: Deacon Zaehringer and Guadalupe (Lupita) Borunda
Bustamente from Illini West High School, Ryan Clark, Will Phelps, Emanuel Barrientos, and
Matt Whitman from West Prairie High School, and Augustus (Gus) Schauble and Cohen Hunt- Twomey from Macomb High School, and Paige Christianson from United High School.
During lunch, Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs addressed the students. He shared
his journey from a small town in Illinois to his current role, emphasizing the importance of
finding interesting and challenging opportunities. He encouraged students to pursue their
passions and take risks.

“When you push yourself outside your comfort zone, it’s uncomfortable at first, but you
learn a lot,” Frerichs said. “I’m guessing this is a room of people who want to do big things.”
Participants also met Paris Van Dyke, the 2023-24 Illinois Youth Leadership Council
representative, who was sponsored by Wabash Communications CO-OP during the 2023 Youth Day and Youth Tour in Washington, D.C. She spoke about her experiences representing Illinois’ electric and telephone cooperatives.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for this experience two years ago, because I
really got out of my box and decided to try something new,” Van Dyke said. “Be proud of
yourself for sitting in the chairs that you are in today, because you have an opportunity that not very many students get. So, take advantage of that, and just remember to say yes to the
opportunities that come your way.”
At the end of the day, the attendees were interviewed for the chance to participate in
AIEC’s Youth Tour and FRS’s Youth Tour, an annual trip to Washington, D.C., sponsored by
McDonough Power and McDonough Telephone. This year’s AIEC trip will be held June 16-23.
Cohen Hunt-Twomey and Emanuel Barrientos will represent McDonough Power on the
weeklong AIEC trip, and Lupita Borunda Bustamente and Gus Schauble will represent
McDonough Telephone on the weeklong FRS trip, with Ryan Clark as the alternate, and meet their elected officials, see historic sites, learn firsthand how cooperatives work and gain valuable leadership skills.

McDonough Telephone Cooperative (MTC) has proudly served parts of Fulton, Hancock,
Henderson, McDonough, Warren, and Schuyler counties since 1951. McDonough Telephone provides fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) technology to its customers, giving its customers state-of- the-art service quality, speed, and reliability. For more information on service, visit:
MTCFIBER.NET or call 309-776-3211. McDonough Telephone is a recognized NTCA Smart
Rural Communities TM Gig-Capable provider.