The 2020 Washington Youth Tour Competition opens for this unforgettable trip. Your prize for showing the benefits of cooperative power: an unforgettable trip to Washington, D.C., June 19-25, 2020, with nearly 2,000 other students your age from across the country. Each day of the Washington Youth Tour brings more impressive sights, opportunities for photos and lots of memories. Among activities filling the agenda are tours of Washington, D.C., and all its landmarks, memorials and museums.
Highlights include the Smithsonian Institution, White House, U.S. Capitol, Mount Vernon and Monticello. Food, travel and lodging expenses are paid by Tennessee’s electric cooperatives. But the benefits of the Youth Tour go far beyond an expense-paid trip. During the tour, delegates have the opportunity to compete for Tennessee’s spot on the Youth Leadership Council to represent the state at the 2020 National Rural Electric Cooperative Association annual meeting in San Diego, California. And don’t forget about the chance to help pay for your college education with scholarships of $3,000, $2,000 or $1,000 awarded by the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association if your story is judged one of the top three in the state.
You may also choose to participate in our Cooperative Youth Ambassador program. Delegates who stay active and engaged with their co-op in the 12 months following Youth Tour qualify for a drawing for a $10,000 scholarship to the school of their choice. Electric cooperatives are different from other utilities. Your locally owned electric co-op gives a lot back to the community. In fact, that’s a major part of its business plan.
Electric cooperatives invest thousands of dollars to send high school students to Washington because it’s important to the long-term prosperity of their communities for their leaders of tomorrow to learn about the political process. Youth Tour participants return to their hometowns stronger leaders with confidence that they can make a difference.
THIS YEAR’S TOPIC:
THE ENERGY PROVIDED BY ELECTRIC CO-OPS HAS FAR-REACHING IMPACTS ON TENNESSEE. WRITE A SHORT STORY EXPLAINING HOW ELECTRIC CO-OPS GIVE THEIR CONSUMERS THE “POWER TO BE” CONNECTED, ENGAGED, PRODUCTIVE, HEALTHY, EDUCATED, ETC. HOW DOES AFFORDABLE AND RELIABLE ENERGY FROM YOUR CO-OP IMPACT YOUR LIFE?