Special to the PVT YES Camp in Truckee, Calif., sets high standards for attending students, but those who head for D.C. will open some new doors. Advertisement

The eight students that Valley Electric Association sponsors to the regional Youth Energy Seminar Leadership Camp (YES Camp) at Boreal Ridge Ski Resort in Truckee, Calif., will have a very special opportunity this year.

Two of the eight will go on to Washington, D.C., as delegates to the Youth Tour and one will return to Washington. D.C. again to participate in the Youth Council for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

The six electrical cooperatives in Nevada take turns sponsoring youths from their districts to represent Nevada, and this year it is VEA's turn.

Participants in the Youth Tour will visit Congress and speak with legislators. It is a positive manner for community leaders to get to know the upcoming generation of business chieftains.

"Some made careers out of opportunities from this trip to D.C.," said Dave Valdes, operations superintendent of Valley Electric Association. He has been volunteering as a chaperone for 25 years.

Students from the delegations are often offered summer work or internships in D.C. or with local legislators or with VEA here. He attests to the power of an internship saying that "a lot of employees here in Pahrump at Valley Electric started as interns."

All expenses are paid for any of the trips including room, board and transportation costs, so the same opportunities are available to kids across all income brackets.

YES camp will be held July 14 to 18 and will be an opportunity for all who attend to focus on leadership and character development. Students will work in teams on ropes courses and attend seminars. Discussion topics will vary, to include visits from local judges and lobbyists to discussions about how and why to set up a cooperative.

Leadership activities are highly stressed at YES camp.

Students participate in ropes courses and team building activities throughout the five days and listen to speakers who are leaders in the community of Truckee, like judges and local politicians. They speak about the chances they took and how they played an active role in directing their lives to the present day.

Leadership is active, so the camp is run by the campers themselves. The counselors are chosen the previous year from among first-year students, who will return to the camp, in addition to the eight new students.

Any disciplinary problems are handled by the student counselors, although Valdes assured that there aren't any. The chaperones role is to facilitate the students to direct the camp.

The camp's leadership training is geared at motivating kids to take a chance and grab an opportunity that comes along rather than let it pass by, and the upcoming trips to Washington will be new waters in which they can test themselves. Opportunities and contacts at a national level will be available and some of our youth leaders will take the plunge.

To be considered for YES camp, applicants must be sophomores or juniors in high school. Applicants have to submit a resume and any extra letters of recommendation or awards they have.

Much of the selection process is based on school achievement, but a strong math or science background is not required. VEA employees and ambassadors will make the final selections.