The names of winners of the Youth Tour Contest sponsored by Pointe Coupee Electric Membership Corporation (PCEMC) and NRG, Louisiana Generating were recently announced by Pointe Coupee Electric General Manager Joseph H. “Jodie” Cotten, Jr. and NRG South Central Director William Day.

Representing Pointe Coupee Electric and winning the all expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. to the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association's (NRECA) Youth Tour Conference are Brianna Smith from Iberville Parish, Valerie Perrault of Pointe Coupee Parish and Claire Chenevert of West Baton Rouge Parish.

Also selected from among nine finalists to represent NRG, Louisiana Generating  on the tour are Amber McCoy of Iberville Parish and Aricka Lee of Pointe Coupee Parish.

The five students will also attend the Louisiana Electric Cooperatives’ Leadership Conference in Baton Rouge later in March.

Pointe Coupee Electric delegates Brianna Smith attends Plaquemine High School and is the daughter of James E. Smith II of Plaquemine;  Valerie Perrault attends Catholic High of Pointe Coupee and is the daughter of Jeanene Thibaut of Oscar and Kirk Perrault; Claire Chenevert  attends Port Allen High School and is the daughter of  John and Tina Chenevert of Port Allen.

NRG, Louisiana Generating delegates Amber McCoy attends Plaquemine High School and is the daughter of Sharon and Peter Villia of Plaquemine; Aricka Lee attends Catholic High of Pointe Coupee and is the daughter of Kertina Parker and Malcolm Lee of New Roads.

The other finalists who will serve as alternates if any of the five winners are unable to take part in the Youth Tour include Kayce Dunn of Plaquemine High School, Iberville Parish; Aliesa Warwick, False River Academy, Pointe Coupee Parish; and Blaine Henry and Taylor Landry who both attend Port Allen High School, West Baton Rouge Parish. 

The Pointe Coupee Electric and NRG, Louisiana Generating Youth Tour finalists were selected from approximately 300 high school juniors from the area served by Pointe Coupee Electric who were eligible to participate in a writing contest. The students submitted essays in the form of letters to any elected official on a topic of their choosing. The final competition held March 2 consisted of the written letter accounting for 50 percent of the judging, an interview which counted for 30 percent, and the oral presentation of the letter, which made up 20 percent of their score.

Attending the contest judging and congratulating the contestants on their presentations were PCEMC board members Irvin E. Settoon Sr., Alton B. Smith Jr. and Peter Rumfola Jr. Also serving on the PCEMC board are Jimmy Ewing Jr., Ralph B. Chustz Sr., Al Ewing and George G. LaCour Jr. Also present to congratulate the winners was Will Day, Director of Transmission Engineering & Operations of NRG South Central.

The youth tour delegates selected will be among the approximately 26 young people from all over the state participating in the Louisiana Tour to the nation's capital, June 13 through June 20, 2008. They will also attend the Louisiana Electric Cooperative's Leadership Conference in Baton Rouge, March 26 through March 28.

Approximately 1,250 Youth Tour participants from 37 states will meet in Washington, D.C. for the 42nd National Rural Electric Cooperative Association's "Government-in-Action" Youth Tour Conference where they will meet their congressional delegation, learn first hand how our government works, tour historical sites and participate in many educational programs.

Pointe Coupee Electric, one of Louisiana’s 11 electric cooperatives, which has been providing services for over 69 years to parts of Iberville, Pointe Coupee and West Baton Rouge parishes, has participated in the Rural Electric Youth Tour for three decades. NRG, Louisiana Generating began sponsoring students on the tour two years ago as part of its expanding community support program.

Pointe Coupee Electric Youth Tour Trip Winners shown from left to right are as follows: PCE Board Member Irvin Settoon Sr.; West Baton Rouge Parish winner Claire Chenevert of Port Allen High School; Pointe Coupee Parish winner Valerie Perrault of Catholic High of Pointe Coupee; Iberville Parish winner Brianna Smith of Plaquemine High School; PCE Board Member Al Smith Jr. and PCE Board Member Peter Rumfola Jr.   NRG, Louisiana Generating Youth Tour Trip Winners shown left to right are as follows: Pointe Coupee Parish winner Aricka Lee of Catholic High of Pointe Coupee; Director of Transmission Engineering & Operations Will Day of NRG South and Iberville Parish winner Amber McCoy of Plaquemine High School.   Pointe Coupee Electric Youth Tour Finalists shown on front row from left to right are as follows: West Baton Rouge Parish finalists Claire Chenevert and Taylor Landry of Port Allen High School; Iberville Parish finalist Brianna Smith of Plaquemine High School; Pointe Coupee Parish finalist Aricka Lee of Catholic High of P.C. and Iberville Parish finalist Amber McCoy of Plaquemine High School. Shown on back row from left to right: West Baton Rouge Parish finalist Blaine Henry of Port Allen High School; Pointe Coupee Parish finalist Valerie Perrault of Catholic High of P.C.; Iberville Parish finalist Kayce Dunn of Plaquemine High School and Pointe Coupee Parish finalist Aleisa Warwick of False River Academy.