Kankakee Valley REMC Junior Board creates next generation of community leaders

The Kankakee Valley Rural Electric Membership Corporation (REMC) has given a new, literal meaning to the Junior Board of Directors. The program, launched in 2022, is an exciting leadership opportunity created exclusively for high school juniors. It is already turning high school students into compassionate, bright, young leaders who are making a difference in their communities.

Juliana Cook, a student at Morgan Township High School, served as the president of the 2025-26 Junior Board of Directors class.

“I was searching for a group of like-minded, teen leaders that wanted to develop their leadership skills and make change in our community, and the Junior Board program was that,” Cook said.

One of Cook’s favorite parts of being on the Junior Board was executing their capstone project. Members had to plan, budget, and execute their project as a team, allowing them to gain real-world experience in leadership and project management.

“It was very rewarding to see how months of conversations, planning, and advertising could turn into something larger than what we could have imagined,” she said.

Their Capstone project, Hearts in Motion, raised money for Play for Jake, a foundation dedicated to raising awareness and educating both parents and youth about the dangers of undetected heart conditions. The board hosted a car show and corn hole tournament, and raised more than $6,000 for the organization.

One of the benefits of the program is helping students develop real-life leadership skills. Throughout the year, students are encouraged to step outside of their comfort zones, make decisions and work with others to create meaningful change.

“As president of the 2025-26 Junior Board, I had to put myself in uncomfortable positions,” Cook said. “These included speaking in front of our board, being a decision-maker for the group, and speaking to different leaders in our community, but this led to me becoming more confident and comfortable in my leadership.”

The Junior Board also provides students with opportunities to learn from leaders outside of their schools and communities.

“A trip that stood out the most to me was visiting the Indiana State House, where we met with multiple state representatives, other junior boards in Indiana, and watched the Senate vote on legislation. It was fascinating to see,” Cook said.

Cook encourages other students to apply because of the valuable lessons they can learn through the experience.

“I went in blind, not knowing what to expect,” Cook said. “I came out the other side with strong leadership skills, opportunities I never would have imagined, and friends who want to make change as much as I do.”

While Cook’s leadership journey is just beginning, previous Junior Board member Londyn Connelly is already making an impact.

Connelly served on the Junior Board during the 2024-25 school year. She loved how involved she was able to become in her community.

Like Cook, one of Connelly’s favorite parts of the program was the community service projects. She helped lead a project benefiting local Women’s Care Centers, where she helped gather donations and create care packages for families in need.

The group collected donations to create 50 care packages for two centers that provide pregnancy resources and continued support for women and young children. The care packages focused on providing essential items for babies, including diapers, wipes, clothing, blankets, toys and soap. Through fundraising efforts and community donations, the group was able to raise nearly $5,000.

“Going to the centers and directly handing them the bags that we made and seeing the joy on their faces and the director’s thankfulness was the most beautiful thing. I was really encouraged to see how people do care. People who donated were putting their love and trust in us as high schoolers to do good, and we couldn’t have done it without them,” Connelly said.

Through the program, Connelly learned that leadership comes in many forms.

“One thing I learned from Junior Board is that being a leader does not mean that you need to be bold and loud. You can do it quietly and have a quiet strength,” she said. “Anyone can be a leader. You don’t need to be the loudest person in the room to get people’s attention.”

She learned the importance of listening to others and recognizing the strengths each person brings to a team.

“Part of being a leader is admitting when you don’t know the answer and humbling yourself,” Connelly said. “Sometimes, you will be strengthened when you listen and take everyone’s thoughts into consideration. For different circumstances, people are going to have different strengths and, in the end, everyone is stronger by using their unique strengths.”

While Connelly loved the trips they went on, she recognized that sometimes the best way to make a difference starts in her own community.

“I love listening to people and learning from people,” she said. “Some of the most meaningful lessons that I learned and experiences that I had were actually when we just stayed in our town. It was wonderful to listen to leaders who might have a small role, but they impact people so much.”

Like her peers, Junior Board taught Connelly to embrace confidence, even if it’s a little scary.

“Junior Board truly changed my perspective on so many things,” Connelly said. “It made my priorities better, gave me encouragement to not be afraid to do things, to not be afraid to apply or try things. Often I wouldn’t speak up because I was afraid of rejection, then I realized that rejection is not even close to the end of the world.”

Connelly is attending Purdue University and working toward earning a double major in French and communications. She credits the lessons she learned through Junior Board with helping her earn a scholarship that covers her full tuition.

“One of the lessons I learned most from being part of the Junior Board is that it’s best to say yes to many opportunities. There’s so much that can be missed by not taking up chances that are given to you.” Connelly said.

The only thing Connelly would change about the program is that members often joked they wished there was a senior board of directors for them to join the following year.

“I cannot think of a single reason that someone should not apply,” Connelly said. “There’s absolutely something that you can learn from it, whether that is from the people you’re working with, or the way you can give to others, or meeting people and working with them. Meeting people from different schools and knowing that everyone has the same desire to care is wonderful.”

For more information, or to apply, visit their website.