IOWA YOUTH LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

Guided by our commitment to community, Iowa’s electric cooperatives has a long history of supporting students in the communities we serve through scholarships and leadership opportunities.

During the 3 Zoom sessions in October, students will be inspired by our line-up of speakers and presenters. Students will learn how to advocate for issues that are important to them and gain leadership development skills from a motivational speaker.

Once students register online, they can attend the 3-part webinar series from their own computer or mobile device. Each Zoom session will last around 45-60 minutes and focus on a specific topic:

• Thursday, Oct. 2, 7:00 p.m. – Cooperative Business Model
• Tuesday, Oct. 14, 7:00 p.m. – Advocacy
• Thursday, Oct. 23, 7:00 p.m. – Leadership

At the end of each live session, one lucky attendee will be selected at random to win a pair of Apple AirPods. Students who attend all 3 sessions will be entered into a random drawing for a $1,000 college scholarship.

Mark your calendar for IYLA 2026!

Oct. 1 - Cooperative Business Model

Oct. 13 - Advocacy

Oct. 22 - Leadership

 

VIDEO ARCHIVE

 

2025 Iowa Youth Leadership Academy

• Session 1
• Session 2
• Session 3

 

2024 Iowa Youth Leadership Academy

• Session 1
• Session 2

 

2023 Iowa Youth Leadership Academy

Sesson 1 (43 minutes) Oct. 3, 2023

• Welcome (1 minute)
• Youth Tour (2 minutes)
• Cooperative Careers (9 minutes)

Session 2 (22 minutes) Oct. 19, 2023

• Welcome (1 minute)
• Youth Tour (3 minutes)

Session 3 (37 minutes) Oct. 26, 2023

• Welcome (1 minute)
• YLC/YT (4 minute)

 

2022 Iowa Youth Leadership Academy

Session 1 (1 hours) Oct. 6, 2022

• Welcome (1 minute)
• Learn about Iowa Co-op Careers (13 minutes)
• Sneak Peak: Iowa Youth Tour (3 minutes)

Session 2 (45 minutes) Oct. 18, 2022

• Welcome (<1 minute)
• Iowa Youth Tour (2 minutes)

Session 3 (50 minutes) Oct. 27, 2022.

• Welcome (<1 minute)
• Iowa Youth Tour Panel (12 minutes)

 

2021 Iowa Youth Leadership Academy

Session 1 (1 hour) Oct. 5, 2021

• Jim Matheson's welcome (1 minute)
• Learn about Iowa Co-op Careers (13 minutes)
• Sneak Peak: Iowa Youth Tour (3 minutes)
   

Session 2 (40 minutes) Oct. 14, 2021

• Welcome (2 minutes)
• Iowa Youth Tour (3 minutes)
   

Session 3 (46 minutes) Oct. 26, 2021

• Welcome (1 minute)
• Iowa Youth Tour Panel (12 minutes)

 

Presentations:

The Cooperative Advantage by Adam Schwartz, Founder, The Cooperative Way

Rural Iowa Advocacy by Haley Moon, Advocacy & Political Action Manager, IAEC

 

Additional Resource:

Cooperative Resource Guide: This brief guide is designed for young people to learn more about cooperatives and resources for further education and employment (including internship opportunities).