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Straughn High School senior Orrin Douglas was recently named the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Youth Leadership Council Spokesperson Runner-up after nearly a year of hard work and determination.

Douglas currently serves as the state delegate for Alabama on the council, which is an extension of the Rural Electric Youth Tour, a leadership program sponsored by co-ops throughout the country, including Covington Electric Cooperative (CEC), and it’s organized by their statewide associations and NRECA.

“When I first found out that I had been named the national spokesperson runner-up, my emotions were everywhere, and I was so happy. To this day, I am still in shock because I worked hard, but did not think I did well enough to get a national position,” Douglas said.

He started his journey by winning a spot on the 2024 Montgomery Youth Tour through an essay competition held by CEC. He was one of 12 essay winners that represented CEC through the state program last spring. Douglas was also selected, through an interview competition, as one of four students to represent CEC on the national Washington Youth Tour last June.

“I learned about the YLC from our previous state delegate, Cape Merrell, who spoke at the Montgomery Youth Tour while I was there. I thought it was something that sounded fun and I wanted to do it,” he said.

Shortly before the national Youth Tour took place, Douglas competed in yet another competition for the chance to become a finalist for Alabama’s YLC Delegate position. While in Washington, D.C., he received the most votes from his peers to represent Alabama.

“I knew I had to make myself stand out in Washington and I wanted to be genuine about who I was. I made friends immediately and started getting to know everyone on a first-name basis. When the trip was over, it was hard to leave everybody, but I keep in touch with a lot of the people I met,” he said.

Douglas is the first Washington Youth Tour YLC Delegate from CEC to earn the title of national spokesperson runner-up and says he began doing mock interviews with local community members to help prepare him.

“I met with Ivy Rogers from Andalusia High School and her mother; Mrs. Patty Singleton-Seay at Covington Electric; Mrs. Tina Shiver and Mrs. Kaci Perry from Straughn, and anybody else who I thought could help me. They all helped me become comfortable with interviews which was a great benefit,” he said.

As Alabama’s YLC delegate, Douglas went through a five-month process to compete for the national spokesperson title and it included webinars, community involvement activities, and a project with his sponsoring co-op, CEC. He participated in CEC’s first ever Member Appreciation Day at the Sanford office last October, where he created an information booth and spoke to visiting members about his experience in the Youth Tour program and other education initiatives that CEC offers to young people in our community.

In November, Douglas presented a speech to CEC’s Board of Trustees explaining how the co-op and the Youth Tour program have impacted his life. He also discussed his hopes of making a positive impact on other teenagers through this program. The speech was recorded and sent to NRECA for consideration.

“My speech was about my struggles growing up poor and how I overcame them to become a leader. Mrs. Deidra Burleson from Straughn and Mrs. Perry helped prepare me for the speech I had to give. I’m used to public speaking from being in the JAG program, but this time, it was nerve-wracking being in front of a larger crowd,” Douglas said.

Ranked 11th among 83 students in his senior class with a 3.9 GPA, Douglas is involved in several organizations and clubs and has held several leadership positions. He is the senior class vice president and a member of the Future Business Leaders of Alabama, Art Guild, Student Government Association, Drama Club, Jobs for Alabama’s Graduates, Spanish Club, Key Club, National Honor Society, Future Farmers of America, Envirothon, CCS Musicals as a performer and set crew, Diamond Club, Nature Trail Club, C4 Choral Company, and Anchor Club. He also served as the school mascot Taz and was the manager and statistician for the volleyball teams, a bookkeeper for the basketball teams, and a gatekeeper at softball games.

Douglas’ community involvement includes serving as a volunteer for Meredith’s Miracles, participating in ReAct Theatre, and being a youth and media team leader for Crossway Ministries. He was chosen as the state superintendent for Alabama Boys State, and he had the opportunity to serve as a senate page for Sen. Josh Carnley in 2024.

“Growing up, I knew I wanted to be involved in my community. Covington Electric has also helped me step into some of the leadership positions that I have held,” he said.

Douglas, along with national spokesperson Maggie Martin of Mississippi, will attend the NRECA’s PowerXChange and TechAdvantage Expo in Atlanta this March. He will have assigned duties with his position, including giving the welcome and invocation. He will also have the opportunity to meet with influential figures in the co-op industry while working closely with other student delegates during the conference.

His future goals are to attend Auburn University and be in AU’s Exploratory Program. While he is undecided on his major, he would like to minor in International Relations.

Orrin is the son of Tina Stewart and Daryl Douglas of Sanford.