About YLC
A National Opportunity for Iowa’s Brightest Youth Leaders
Each year, one student from Iowa is selected to represent the state on the Youth Leadership Council (YLC)—a prestigious national group formed by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA).
A Brief History
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1976: NRECA created the Youth Consulting Board (YCB) to extend youth engagement at the state and local level.
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1998: The YCB evolved into the Youth Leadership Council, with a stronger focus on developing leadership, public speaking, and advocacy skills in America’s most promising young leaders.
Today, the YLC is a dynamic program that includes workshops, networking, and real-world cooperative education. Each delegate writes and delivers a speech about their Youth Tour experience, and one student is selected as the national spokesperson, presenting at the NRECA Annual Meeting.
What Does Iowa’s YLC Representative Do?
Timeline of Events
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June 2026: Iowa’s YLC delegate is selected and announced during Youth Tour in Washington, D.C.
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July 20-24, 2026: Delegates return to D.C. for Basecamp—a weeklong leadership training focused on:
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Public speaking and advocacy
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Cooperative education
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Team-building and networking
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Meeting industry leaders and fellow YLC members
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August 2026 – February 2026: Monthly virtual “checkpoints” include:
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Guest speakers
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Leadership development
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Co-op Month projects
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Speech presentations for national spokesperson selection
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XXX, 2027: Delegates attend the YLC Summit at PowerXchange and TechAdvantage in San Diego
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Recognition on stage for their year of service
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One delegate selected as national spokesperson
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Inspiring keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and expo exploration
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Iowa’s Youth Tour Director will accompany Iowa’s YLC delegate to the meeting.
Additional Honors for Iowa’s YLC Delegate
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$1,000 College Scholarship from the Pioneers Trust Fund, administered by the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives.
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Speech Presentation at the IAEC Annual Meeting in early December.
