Youth and Education Overview

Tri-County Electric Cooperative believes strongly in the power of community and the cornerstones of our communities are our schools and children. We have committed to support education and area youth in a variety of ways. Our partnership with educators in strengthening the power of community is vital to our mission. Thank you for allowing us to join you as we follow our youth’s journey to responsible adult citizens who give back to the community.

For more information on our youth and educational programs, call (800) 522-3315 or e-mail memberservice@tri-countyelectric.coop .

Visit the following pages for in-depth information on the following programs:

• Youth Tour - High school juniors in our service territory can apply for the Rural Electric Cooperative Youth Tour all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C.
• Energy Camp - Eighth graders in our service territory can apply for an all-expense-paid camping trip at Canyon Camp outside of Hinton, Oklahoma.
• Scholarships - High school seniors in our service territory are eligible to apply for one of two scholarship programs the cooperative offers.
• Classroom Kits - The cooperative offers Get Charged! and CFL Charlie educational kits for grade school educators to use in their classrooms.
• Touchstone Energy Kids Zone - A cool place where you can learn about electricity, energy savings and electrical safety. Includes online games and classroom educational resources.

Additional programs we offer schools in our service territory:

Annual Donations

Tri-County Electric is pleased to offer each school within it's service territory an annual donation. This donation is based on the number of students enrolled in the school according to the state department of education.

These donations replace the funding Tri-County Electric typically provides for school organizations upon request. Recommendations for use of funds includes: sponsorships, sports teams, yearbook and newsletter ads, program ads, gym ads, elementary school agendas/planner, bottled water or any other program the school deems necessary.

Administrators with questions regarding this process should contact Erin Moore at 800-522-3315 x 826.

Gross Receipts Tax

In a 2010, more than $1.3 million was contributed to schools in the Oklahoma Panhandle through the gross receipts tax collected by Tri-County Electric. The state gross receipts tax is paid by all electric cooperatives in Oklahoma based on the amount of energy sold. One advantage of being served by a cooperative is the gross receipts tax goes directly to the school districts where the taxes are collected.

Each school district’s share is calculated using the gross receipts tax rate multiplied by miles of electric line in each school district. Seventeen school systems in the Oklahoma Panhandle receive gross receipts funding.

Plugged-In Free Monthly E-Newsletter for Educators

Administrators and teachers are encouraged to sign up for our free monthly e-newsletter for educators to stay abreast of Tri-County Electric's educational opportunities. To subscribe to the free e-newsletter, send an e-mail to memberservice@tri-countyelectric.coop .