OPALCO Launches Nourdine Jensen Cooperative Youth Scholarship Program

Nourdine Jensen

The OPALCO Board of Directors has established a scholarship program in honor of Nourdine Jensen, a long-time board member and advocate for the Cooperative. The Nourdine Jensen Cooperative Youth Scholarship Program will award three high-school sophomores/juniors with a $500 scholarship and all-expenses paid trip to the Youth Rally leadership camp at the College of Idaho this summer. The deadline to apply is March 15^th.

Nourdine Jensen believed in reliable, affordable electricity for the rural islanders of San Juan County and he believed in the cooperative model. In that spirit, the Nourdine Jensen Cooperative Youth Program was established to educate our youth about electric co-ops and public power, give them the opportunity to expand their horizons and to develop leadership qualities.

The three students from San Juan County (along with an OPALCO chaperone) will join with about 150 peers from rural electric co-ops in Idaho, Alaska, Oregon and Wyoming at the Rally. The Rally is hosted by the Idaho Consumer Utilities Association and was established in 1986. In addition to leadership building activities, students will enjoy a full range of social activities such as a visit to a water park, roller-skating, bowling, dances and a talent show. While at the Youth Rally, students can compete to earn additional scholarship and leadership awards.

Scholarship winners will be chosen based on a personal interview and will receive their awards at OPALCO’s 74^th annual meeting on the ferry scheduled for Saturday, May 14^th. For more information on the scholarship program, go to https://www.opalco.com/programs/youth-rally-scholarships/. The competition guide book and application can be downloaded from the website, or picked up at an OPALCO office.

OPALCO is a member-owned cooperative electrical utility serving more than 11,000 members on 20 islands in San Juan County.  OPALCO provides electricity that is 95% greenhouse-gas free and is predominately generated by hydro-electric plants. OPALCO was founded in 1937 to bring electricity to rural islanders.