2020 Youth Leadership Applications Available at Year’s End

As your cooperative we believe in contributing to the well-being of the communities that make up who we are, including building up tomorrow’s leaders in those communities. Each summer, United Power selects local youth from within our service territory to represent the cooperative for a week in the mountains of northwest Colorado at the Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp or an all-expense-paid trip to Washington D.C. for the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour. 

Applications will be available on our Youth Trips page at the end of the year. .

CYLC: Camp, Cabins & Cooperatives

The Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp isn’t a camp in the traditional sense. There are no tents, no campfires, no s’mores. Business begins as soon as the buses and vans roll in to deposit campers from their respective cooperatives. Campers establish and manage their own cooperative for the week, including election of a Board of Directors and holding regular meetings for “members.” In between, days are filled with cooperative-focused activities, leadership training and collaborative group projects. 

However, being part of a cooperative isn’t all business all the time. Whether it was building camaraderie while rafting down the Colorado River or enjoying the majestic Fish Creek Falls, campers had ample opportunity to build friendships and have fun. 

This summer, three area youth represented United Power at camp: Xavier Galyardt, Mead High School; Audrey Thompson, Prospect Ridge Academy; and Karlen Ruybal, Ft. Lupton High School.

Youth Tour: Colorado Youth Visit Capitol Hill

The Electric Cooperative Youth Tour has been a proud tradition among cooperatives since 1957 when Lyndon B. Johnson, speaking at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s annual meeting, suggested sending youth to the capitol to see “what the flag stands for and represents.”

Local electric cooperatives throughout the country sponsor approximately 1,500 high school students from small towns and cities for and incredible week in the nation’s capital with the objective of providing an educational experience for young people on the organization and operation of a cooperative. 

Each day of the Youth Tour is packed full of memorable moments for youth from across the country. Between meeting with elected officials, learning the value of the cooperatives they represent and developing leadership skills, students are able to spend time touring some of Washington D.C.’s landmarks and memorials. 

Each year, United Power selects three ambitious high school students to attend Youth Tour: Catera Gagna, Brighton High School; Brooklyn Stubby, Mapleton Early College; and Bethany Flanagan, Weld Central High School.

Meet Your 2020 Camp Ambassador: Xavier “X” Galyardt

Xavier, who goes by “X,” was a United Power representative at the 2019 Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp. Each year at CYLC, youth campaign throughout the week and are elected  by their peers to return to camp the following year as an ambassador. 

What did you enjoy most about camp?

Although the activities were fantastic – rafting, learning, dancing, adventuring – they are trivial in comparison to the friends I acquired. They are easily what I enjoyed most. The hardest part of camp was leaving them behind.

How did it prepare you for being a leader in your school and community?

The camp was incredible at presenting leadership ideas and displaying leadership ideals. These ideas reignited my passion for leadership and demonstrated the true influence of leaders. I have adopted a new philosophy on leading, and can’t wait to see how it plays out.

What does it mean to be elected a 2020 camp ambassador?

Being elected ambassador is a tremendous honor. To become a camp ambassador one must go through two stages of speeches and voting. After all that, my peers selected me because they trust me to represent them next year.

Why should others high school students attend camp in 2020?

For every reason someone could choose not to attend camp, I could list two reasons to come. For one, it’s a vacation away from normal life. You’ll also meet some of the most compassionate people you may ever now. There is no downside.

Are You Ready?

Severe weather is a fact of life, and it’s important to make sure you and your family are prepared for when it occurs. Each September, the Federal Emergency Management Agency recognizes National Preparedness Month to educate and empower Americans to take simple steps to prepare for and respond to potential emergencies that could affect us where we live, work and visit. This year’s theme (Prepared, Not Scared. Be Ready for Disasters.) touches on four distinct aspects of emergency preparation:

Save Early for Disaster Costs

Emergencies hit us when we least expect and could be costly if we aren’t prepared beforehand. Do you have an emergency fund? Does your insurance adequately cover the costs of a natural disaster? Does your homeowners’ or renters’ insurance cover flood damages? It’s important to have funds available when emergencies disrupt daily life or if an ATM isn’t immediately available.

Make a Plan

Preparing your family for an emergency is as simple as a conversation over dinner, and it’s important to include kids in the disaster planning process. Practice your plan, including evacuations, fire escapes and turning off utilities like natural gas. 

Youth Preparedness

Teach children what to do in an emergency if they are at home or away. They should know how to communicate during an emergency, with you, friends or emergency responders. Review family emergency plans regularly, or even have them practice building their own emergency kits.

Get Involved in Community Preparedness

Take some time to learn about the hazards most likely to affect your community and their responses. Look for opportunities to get involved by volunteering with organizations before, during and after potential disasters. Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) train volunteers to prepare for the types of disasters their community may face. 

For more information on National Preparedness Month, including sample emergency communications plans, organizations you can volunteer with during disasters and more, visit www.ready.gov.

Your air conditioner is probably one of the most demand intensive appliances in your home. This means members will begin to see their demand charge rise to include this additional appliance as the summer heat arrives. There is good news if you like keeping your home cool, though. When United Power instituted the demand charge, there was a corresponding REDUCTION in the cost of energy. Since you use a lot of energy to keep your home cool, you will probably see very little change from prior summers in your average bill. 

When United Power moved to a demand rate we uncoupled costs that had previously been blended into the rate. This new structure gives you more control over your electric costs, by allowing you to avoid stacking appliance use. It also reduced the cost you pay for the actual energy you use.  

The change is helping to make sure you pay a more accurate portion of your costs for the distribution system that brings power to your home. 

Demand is the total of all electric appliances that are running at one time. United Power bases their demand charge on your highest demand in a 15-minute period throughout the month. In the summer this is going to happen when you run your air conditioner, and perhaps an additional appliance like your washer or oven.  For example, a 24,000 BTU air conditioner creates a demand of about 3.8 kW, which translates to a demand charge of $3.80 plus the demand of any other appliances running at the same time.

United Power made sure that our members can access the information they need to better understand their power consumption.  All United Power members can look at their power consumption and see when you reach your peak demand via the Power Portal. If you need help accessing the Power Portal give Member Services a call at 303-637-1300. Remember that our website, www.unitedpower.com, has lots of great information about how you can reduce demand and how demand billing works.