For more than 60 years, the electric and telephone cooperatives of Illinois have sponsored a select group of high school students from within their service territories to spend a week taking in the historic sights and bustling energy of the nation’s capital.
Nationwide, more than 2,000 high school students participated in the all-inclusive trip this year, held June 16 to 23. Forty-eight of these outstanding students represented Illinois. The tour encourages students to develop leadership skills and experience historical landmarks while learning about the cooperative business model.
An important component to the trip is the election of Illinois’ Youth Leadership Council (YLC) representative. A YLC representative is a student chosen by their peers to serve as a spokesperson for the state of Illinois. To be considered for the role, students must submit an application and deliver a 3-minute impromptu speech explaining why they should represent their state.
Adams Telephone Co-Operative’s Micah Anderson was selected out of 48 Illinois students as the 2025-2026 YLC representative for Illinois. He will represent the state at national and state meetings and events in the year ahead.
Micah, who is the son of Mike and Jammie Anderson of Mount Sterling, attends Brown County High School, where he serves as Student Council president and class treasurer. He is also active in FFA and the National Honor Society.
In addition to his school involvement, Micah is engaged in his community — volunteering for school supply and food drives, helping with youth programs at his church, and developing his own business, which earned him a spot in the Brown-Schuyler CEO Program.
On July 21-25, Micah returned to Washington D.C. to be a part of the National Rural Electric Cooperatives Association (NRCEA) YLC Basecamp. This weeklong experience gave YLCs from across America the resources they need for their year of service. The program focuses on strengthening delegates’ leadership, public speaking, advocacy and communication skills, building strong connections with fellow YLC members, NRECA’s senior leaders, and their local and statewide cooperatives, and educating them on the cooperative industry and their role in advocating for rural America. The program is composed of four days of hands-on workshops, meetings with NRECA’s leaders and team-building activities.
“Micah’s ability to make friends through his sense of humor and his willingness to lead by doing what’s right set him apart as a true leader among his peers,” said Danielle Flesner, Graphic Designer and Youth Tour Coordinator for Adams Telephone Co-Operative. “Illinois is proud to have Micah represent the state.”
Micah’s first speaking opportunity took place at the Leaders’ Luncheon held in conjunction to the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperative’s (AIEC) Annual Meeting of Members. This luncheon held 245 guests who serve as board directors for their local electric cooperatives. Micah told of his Youth Tour experience, YLC Basecamp lessons and how he plans to represent Illinois in the future.
“The experience was unlike anything else. I was nervous to apply and never believed I would be standing here today speaking to all of you. I cannot thank my telephone co-operative enough for believing in me,” Micah stated.
In September 2025 – March 2026, Micah will participate in monthly ‘check-ins’ virtually with his peers across the nation. These check-ins will host guest speakers, allow Micah to participate in hands-on leadership development trainings and work with Adams Telephone Co-Operative to host a Co-Op Month project in October. Micah will also compete for the chance to win the National Spokesperson title by presenting his speech to a panel of judges.
Come March of 2026, Micah will represent Illinois during the NRECA’s Powerxchange and TechAdvantage. During PowerXchange, delegates are recognized on stage for their year of service, and the chosen national spokesperson will address cooperative leaders during a general session. Attendees also hear inspiring keynote speakers, attend cutting-edge breakout sessions and explore the Expo floor!
For students interesting in going on Youth Tour in the future, Anderson said, “Apply for Youth Day as soon as applications open this winter and really think about how you can make a difference as a student on the Youth Tour. It’s a chance of a lifetime.”
To learn more about Youth Tour, go to youthtour.coop or facebook.com/ILYouthTour.