We made it to another year. That means it’s time for our annual legislative issue.
As a result of this special issue, readers can find the names and faces of the state senators and representatives who represent them in Jackson on the local pages of our publication.
For our cover story this month, we visited with Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson.
You’ll notice that Watson’s party affiliation is not mentioned in the story. He’s a Republican for those that don’t know. We didn’t get into his political leanings because the story is not about politics.
Instead, we wanted to focus on something close to Watson’s heart — youth leadership.
Helping to inform and educate Mississippi’s future leaders is something that is near and dear to the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi (ECM) as well.
For more than 35 years, ECM has put on the Cooperative Youth Leaders program. Electric co-ops from all over Mississippi sponsor high school juniors, so they can learn about the cooperative business model, grow in their leadership qualities, and experience the democratic process at the state and federal levels by visiting the Mississippi and U.S. capital cities.
The students spend three days in Jackson in February for the Cooperative Youth Leaders Workshop and earn an all-expenses paid tour of Washington, D.C., in June for seven days.
Watson has been a guest speaker at the workshop and participated in Cooperative Youth Leaders programs at local co-ops during his time as a public servant in state government.
As the Secretary of State, Watson also runs the department’s Student Ambassador program, which exposes Mississippi high school students to voter education and civic awareness.
In the story, Watson explains how his own youth and background informed his future decisions about a profession and a desire to serve the public.
Watson and ECM’s goal is one and the same — to assure Mississippi’s youth give back to their home state and, through leadership, help make it a special place for generations to come.
Happy New Year from the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi!
We hope you enjoy the issue.
