Watauga County Student Selected to Represent North Carolina at National Conference
For Immediate Release
Contact: Renee Whitener, Director of Public Relations, Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation, (828) 758-2383, Ext. 3213; or E-mail: Renee Whitener
Boone, North Carolina (March 14, 2008) – Sarah Shields, daughter of Brad and Kim Shields of Boone, recently traveled to Anaheim, California, to represent North Carolina at the annual meeting of the National Rural Electric Cooperatives Association (NRECA).
NRECA is the national service organization dedicated to representing the interests of some 900 cooperative electric utilities and the 37 million consumers they serve in 47 states.
Shields was selected for the honor after first being named a 2007 Youth Tour participant for Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation. During her Washington, D.C., Youth Tour last summer, Shields was also selected as Youth Leadership Council member and for the Youth Leadership Award, which resulted in a $2,000 scholarship to the college of her choice as well as various learning opportunities, including speaking in front of 500 North Carolina cooperative managers and board members.
While in Anaheim, Shields performed duties such as working NRECA’s Congressional Action Center. Along with 44 other young members, Shields encouraged cooperative leaders to take part in creating an energy-related dialogue with federal legislators on the key topic of balancing consumer costs with effective climate change.
The youth also provided assistance to the NRECA staff and co-op delegates at the national meeting, participated in the Parade of States at the opening General Session, and took part in a variety of educational activities that will prepare them for future endeavors in the electric cooperative industry, government organizations, or community service.
As the Washington Youth Tour winner for Blue Ridge Electric, Shields also serves as the cooperative’s youth representative on Watauga District’s Member Advisory Committee.
Shields attends Watauga High School and plans to attend NC State University in the fall.
