(Front Row Left to Right): Tamarah Frank-Redwood Falls FFA, Jocelyn Doyle-Wabasso FFA, Taryn Maasch-Wabasso FFA, Danielle Kramer-Wabasso FFA, Samantha Arnold-Wabasso FFA.
(Back Row Left to Right): Evan VanDerWal-Springfield FFA, Scott Dingles-Redwood Falls FFA, Adam Johnson-Cedar Mountain FFA, Scott Vogel-Springfield FFA, & Trevor Serbus-Cedar Mountain FFA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 26, 2012
Cooperative Network hosts youth conference on cooperatives, leadership
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (March 26, 2012) –More than 100 Wisconsin and Minnesota high school students attended the CO-OPS YES! Youth Leadership Conference, March 19-20, 2012, at the Plaza Hotel & Suites in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Students in grades 10, 11, and 12 were eligible to participate in this exciting and educational program.
The conference was designed to help them gain a better understanding of the role and operation of cooperatives. They were also taught leadership skills, discover a problem-solving process they can use, and adjust to the teen issues that they face.
The conference included a session on maximizing students’ potential, and participants also learned about credit unions, their role in politics, and careers in cooperatives. The highlight of the conference was “Breakthrough Leadership Skills”, a hands-on leadership workshop presented by Craig Hillier, CSP, Winning Edge Seminars, Lakeville, Minnesota.
Cooperative Network serves more than 600 member-cooperatives, owned by more than 6.3 million Wisconsin and Minnesota residents, by providing government relations, education, marketing, and technical services for a wide variety of cooperatives including farm supply, health, dairy marketing, consumer, financial, livestock marketing, telecommunications, electric, housing, insurance, worker-owned cooperatives, and more. For more information about Cooperative Network, visit www.cooperativenetwork.coop.
Scott Vogel from the Springfield FFA was one of six students elected from the Minnesota students in attendance to represent on the Co-op Yes! 2013 Youth Board.
Students learned how cooperatives are ran, & the basic elements needed to run a successful coop. From there they had to meet in groups and “built” their own cooperative. They had to include: how they would build it, members, costs, how members would become members, and how they would market to potential producers. Their favorite part of the conference was listening to Craig Hillier-he did a great job inspiring the students. The quote that the students found stood out the most to them was “It’s not what you do, it’s how you do it.” They also had the chance to hear many other inspirational speakers. Interested in learning more about the Co-op Yes! Leadership Youth Conference, or know anybody who would benefit? Contact HLC today!
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