CEO’s Message – July 2025
Investing in Arizona’s Co-op Family
The Arizona sun blazed in the desert sky on a hot Saturday afternoon. I made my way into the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Phoenix and, for the 1 millionth time since I’ve lived here, said a prayer of thanks for the miracle of air conditioning.
I knew where I was heading, but if I hadn’t, all I had to do was follow the excited buzz coming from a large ballroom near the lobby. Outside the room, Grand Canyon State Electric Cooperative Association team members Hannah Capozzi, Sylvia Cruz, and Nancy Garcia casually ate their late lunches. They were remarkably calm, given what was about to go down in the next few minutes, hours, and days.
The ballroom’s occupants sat at round tables, excitedly talking, playing Heads Up, and doing what 17-year-olds do. I lounged against a wall, taking it all in. Hannah strolled into the ballroom, grabbed a mic, and commanded the attention of the room. It was time. The 2025 Washington Youth Tour was about to commence.
My job was easy and—all parties heartedly agreed—brief. I kicked off the Youth Tour orientation by offering welcoming remarks. I name-checked all the participating co-ops and tribal utility authorities, declared Navopache’s table was having the most fun, told the kids what a great time they were about to have and warned them that Sylvia, as a former high school teacher, knew all their tricks, so they couldn’t get away with anything. Then I left.
Hannah, Sylvia, and Nancy, with a cameo appearance by Casey Ratlief to discuss all things government, spent the rest of the afternoon and evening preparing 50 Arizona high school seniors for their upcoming adventure. Fifteen adult chaperones also participated to help ride herd on the group during its week in Washington, D.C.
The next morning, everyone boarded planes to the nation’s capital, where they joined about 2,000 other students from around the country. Their time in Washington, D.C., was spent touring museums and memorials, having meetings on Capitol Hill, learning about the United States government, taking in a show at the Kennedy Center, and forging new friendships.
An incredible amount of planning goes into the Washington Youth Tour, starting months in advance. Each co-op and tribal utility authority chooses young leaders from their communities to participate in the weeklong trip. Hannah and Sylvia travel throughout the state to meet with students, their parents and chaperones, then work with Nancy to make the zillions of plans necessary to pull off the event. Securing hotel reservations, buying plane tickets, arranging the schedule, hiring bus drivers, and getting up at 5 a.m. to buy Holocaust Museum passes—the list seems endless.
Washington Youth Tour provides an experience that participants will remember and cherish for the rest of their lives. Some Youth Tour alumni return to D.C. to work on Capitol Hill. Others go on to be leaders in their communities. Some even go to work for their co-op or might 1 day sit on its board.
For me, Youth Tour is 1 of the most gratifying things GCSECA provides for our members. Many kudos to those who make it happen—especially Hannah, Sylvia, and Nancy—and the chaperones who give their time for the students. The investment we’re collectively making today is sure to pay dividends to Arizona’s co-op family in the future.
Dave Lock
CEO