The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s annual PowerXchange conference, held March 7-12 this year in Atlanta, is the largest annual gathering of electric co-op leaders. While the conference is designed to discuss and embrace the challenges of the ever-changing electric industry, it also highlights future leaders. One of those leaders present was Cole Buchanan.
In June 2024, Buchanan was one of 54 high school students who represented Illinois’ electric and telephone cooperatives during the annual Youth Tour in Washington, D.C. During the trip, Buchanan, who represented SouthEastern Illinois Electric Cooperative, was selected by his peers as the 2024-25 Youth Leadership Council (YLC) representative for the Illinois delegation. The YLC is a yearlong appointment.
He is thankful for the opportunity to represent Illinois. “Thank you for entrusting me with this position to represent the state … and for supporting me along the journey,” Buchanan said. “It’s really been influential learning about cooperatives.”
While he enjoyed his first visit to Atlanta, getting the opportunity to visit Centennial Olympic Park (the site of the 1996 Summer Olympics) and the College Football Hall of Fame, he most appreciated getting to know his fellow YLC delegates and meeting co-op leaders from across the nation.
In just a few short months, Buchanan’s service as Illinois’ 48th YLC will come to an end, when a new YLC is selected during this year’s Youth Tour in June.
“I had no intentions of ever being in this role, but going on Youth Tour really pivoted my life, and I see everything from a new perspective,” Buchanan said. To his peers, he added, “My advice is to be ambitious. Get out there. Don’t be shy, but don’t think that you know everything. I’ve learned so much through this experience. It has been life-changing.”
