When Crosby Parker and Addison Barry attended Cooperative University in the fall of 2024, neither student knew very much about electric cooperatives.
“Before, I had no idea there was a difference between an electric co-op and, say, Mississippi Power,” Parker, 18, of Gulfport said.
Barry admitted she even knew less than that.
“I didn’t know anything,” Barry, 17, of Braxton, said laughing.
“But it was so fun and interesting learning about them.”
Parker and Barry have come a long way since then.
Parker, a member of Coast Electric, and Barry, a member of Southern Pine Electric, represent Mississippi as 2025 National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Youth Leadership Council (YLC) co-delegates.
This year was unique for the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi’s (ECM) Cooperative Youth Leaders program. Usually, one delegate is chosen to represent the state. Parker was that delegate. However, Parker won a $10,000 U.S. Senate Youth Program national scholarship that prevented him from carrying out some of his YLC duties. As a result, Barry was picked to serve as a co-delegate this year.
The state YLC competes for the national YLC spokesperson spot against other electric cooperative youth leaders from around the country. The announcement of the winner was made right at press time.
“I just knew all the students in that (workshop) room will do amazing things. I really had a much greater appreciation for our home state,” Barry said.
Win or lose, Parker and Barry have already shined as youth leaders in Mississippi with each taking away strong lessons from the Cooperative Youth Leaders program.
Both delegates participated in ECM’s Cooperative Leaders Workshop in Jackson in February of last year. Then, with the other workshop delegates, the pair went on an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. in June 2025. As a result of being chosen to represent the state’s electric co-ops, both students will receive ECM scholarships for college.
Parker, who will be attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on an Air Force ROTC scholarship, said the most important lesson he took away from the program was learning how to make an impact today and in the future.
“Leadership is the best way to make a difference,” Parker said.
Parker’s leadership passion has been youth mentorship.
During his time at Gulfport High School, he has been instrumental in a mentorship program that works with students at a local elementary school.
“Kids need support. They don’t always have that at home,” Parker said.
The peer-to-peer program has Parker and other high school mentors meeting with the students to help with academics, to set goals, and even have some fun.
“They need to feel encouraged and feel supported,” Parker said.
Barry, a student council member at Simpson County Academy, plans to attend Mississippi State University and major in pre-med.
Barry said her biggest take away from the ECM program was meeting all the different students from around the state.
“I just knew all the students in that (workshop) room will do amazing things. I really had a much greater appreciation for our home state,” Barry said.
The ECM program forced Barry to step out of her comfort zone, she said.
“The program definitely challenged me,” Barry said.
Both delegates were two of 10 picked at the workshop to interview with judges to compete for the statewide YLC spot. Parker and Barry had to choose from a prompt and had 10 minutes to write a two-minute speech to give to the judges.
Both chose to write about the person who inspires them most.
Parker wrote about his mother, who he said supported him getting involved in robotics. Parker was a robotics program state champion and started a robotics camp for the Boys and Girls Club of Gulfport.
Barry wrote about Pat Lee, the founder of Children of the World, the adoption group that Barry and her family used to adopt her younger sister, Emory, from India. Barry participated in Children of the World mission trips with Lee.
“She has such a tender heart. She really cares about people and that has had a big impact on me,’ Barry said.
Because of the YLC program, Parker and Barry not only know now how electric co-ops work and provide power to its members, but they also understand that their co-ops are an integral part of their communities.
“I didn’t realize co-ops were member-owned and so community driven. Co-ops really make a difference in people’s lives,” Parker said.
