Teen-2-Teen

Have you ever been to Washington, D.C.? Would you like to learn more about electric cooperatives? The North Dakota Electric Cooperative Youth Tour is a week-long, all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., in June 2024.

Students from across the country gather in our nation’s capital to learn about cooperatives, meet with our state’s elected officials and visit historical sites. Each student represents his or her local electric cooperative, with 44 states represented.

To my teachers, past and present:

“Thank you” doesn’t do you justice. You have given more than I can summarize with words or ever express in any form of gratitude. Nonetheless, I will try.

During my 13 years in the public school system, each of you has made a difference in my life. From the kindergarten teacher who taught me to tie my shoes to the physics teacher who challenged the limits of my critical thinking, each of you made an impact, which cannot be measured by concepts learned, awards bestowed or test scores.

Sports can be rewarding in the lives of students. Athletes develop friendships and build teamwork, and sports offer a sense of accomplishment, and encourage students to exercise.

Statistically, students who participate in sports do better academically than their counterparts who do not. A study at the University of Kansas found students in sports are 10% more likely to graduate from high school.

North Dakota students feel unheard. We have been hampered by a global pandemic, distorted by the stories dominating the national political media and dismissed because we are adolescents. Rather than make a wishlist of legislative priorities, we are simply asking the North Dakota Legislature to listen to us. We want them to see us where we are and to legislate accordingly.

The Electric Cooperative Youth Tour is a week filled with history, new friends, tons of fun and memories that will last a lifetime. You get to visit Washington, D.C., learn about electric cooperatives, meet with your elected leaders, see historical sites and so much more!

As summer ends, autumn in North Dakota still offers a variety of outdoor activities for everyone to enjoy. Finding entertainment and recreation is easy to accomplish all over the state, in both small towns and some of North Dakota’s larger cities.

Summer is here! When I asked my friends about their summer travel plans, one commented, “Why would I stay here? I am off to Florida.” With candor, he denied any possibility of traveling around North Dakota. Our state is often overlooked as a tourist destination, especially by our younger residents. Many overlook the vast variety in North Dakota’s natural and manmade features.

I have started a few business ventures, but I didn’t follow through with most of them. But there are two I worked on and was able to get established.

Have you ever been outside late at night and seen the sky full of bright, shining stars? How about a meteor shower or the dancing northern lights? If you have yet to experience seeing these celestial shows, there are plenty of opportunities to view these beautiful phenomenons in the upcoming year.

Thomas Jefferson once proclaimed, “The greatest danger to American freedom is a government that ignores the Constitution.” I have recently contemplated this quote with much thought. It has resonated with me ever since I saw a poll that the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center conducted, which showed that over one-third of Americans, or roughly 37%, could not name a single right protected by the First Amendment.