TALLADEGA, Ala. – Coosa Valley Electric Cooperative hosted its annual Youth Tour Competition Day, welcoming 10 high school students from across its service area to compete for a coveted leadership opportunity.
“The Youth Tour program is designed to recognize and develop student leadership while educating participants about electric cooperatives, civic engagement, and the role they can play in shaping their communities,” said Kylie Entrekin, Coosa Valley Electric Cooperative’s marketing and digital media specialist and Youth Tour organizer. “Finalists were selected based on their research and essays on how electric cooperatives impact the communities they serve.”
Three students were selected to represent Coosa Valley Electric Cooperative on the Electric Cooperatives Youth Tour trips to Montgomery in March and Washington, D.C., in June. The 2026 winners are Lillian Deloach of Fayetteville High School, Shay Chatman of Winterboro High School, and Jeffery Martin of Lincoln High School.
Finalists included Analeigh Warmack and Finn Stacey of Coosa Valley Academy; Brody Blevins and Hadley Hilgers of Westbrook Christian School; Hope Hill and Shelby Hanvey of First Assembly Christian School; and Glyndon Fomby of Lincoln High School.
During Competition Day, finalists heard from current Youth Tour representatives Mac Tomlinson, Hannah Garrett, and Danielle Prime, who described the program’s personal impact. Tomlinson said the experience helped her step outside her comfort zone. Garrett recalled meeting delegates from across the nation in Washington. Prime called Youth Tour a life-changing experience built on lasting friendships.
Coosa Valley Electric Cooperative General Manager Jon Cullimore congratulated finalists for reaching the competition’s final stage. Entrekin said the program invests in students ready to lead and serve, adding that Competition Day celebrates the ambition and potential within Coosa Valley Electric Cooperative communities.
