Rural Electric Washington D.C. Youth Tour

Washington D.C. Youth Tour participants with Al Franken See all 2011 Youth Tour photos.

Interested in an all expense paid trip to Washington, D.C.?  Have you always wondered what you would say to Senator Klobuchar or Senator Franken if you had the chance? How about watching the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier? Or sailing down the Potomac River? 

For more than 40 years, electric cooperatives have sponsored the annual Rural Electric Youth Tour by selecting high school juniors and seniors for a trip to Washington, D.C. to experience, first hand, the essence that is our republic. Witness the profound grandeur of monuments to our greatest leaders; reflect on the true cost of freedom by eyeing row upon row of white crosses at Arlington Cemetery; question your U.S. Representatives and Senators on issues that affect you, and unlock your individual spirit.

Tell me more

Your local electric cooperative could sponsor you to represent the co-op for the Washington Youth Tour. Your local cooperative pays all expenses for your trip and the Minnesota Rural Electric Association (MREA) coordinates the events. Participants will join more than 1,500 students from 43 states for an unforgettable week in our nation’s capitol.

This is not your ordinary sight-seeing tour. We combine leadership opportunities with just plain fun. We’ll spend a day on Capitol Hill visiting with our Senators and Representatives. There will be little time for sleep but lots of time for interaction and meeting new friends.

How do I apply?

To be selected for the Washington Youth Tour you must apply through the electric cooperative that serves your area of the state. Twenty-seven of Minnesota’s electric cooperatives participate in the Washington Youth Tour. Each co-op will have their own application process and criteria to select the student or students to be sponsored as delegates.

If you are a high school junior or senior, please contact your local electric cooperative for eligibility requirements. For additional information, you may also contact MREA or visit our national association's Youth Tour website.

Testimonials

 

Hailey Meyer, 2011 Youth Tour Participant and
National Youth Leadership Council Representative in July

Hailey Meyer, sponsored by East Central Energy, was selected from among several applicants during the 2011 Youth Tour to represent Minnesota on the National Youth Leadership Council.

"My experience with the Youth Tour has been one of many facets, and many opportunities. In the six days that I was Washington DC with the Rural Electric Youth Tour, I took on the roles of a politician, a lobbyist, a tourist, a friend, a leader, and a student. My trip, sponsored by East Central Energy Electric Cooperative of Minnesota, has been one I will never forget. History seems to come alive right before your eyes in that city, and everything I learned sitting in history class suddenly became tangible beneath my fingertips. From meeting our representatives who are shaping our country now, to visiting the monuments dedicated to the brave lives that were lost fighting for it in the past, I have grown a new respect and a new pride for my country".
- Hailey Meyer, Minnesota YLC Delegate, Class of 2011-2012

Congressman Tim Walz, Minnesota Congressional District 1: “The Rural Electric Youth Tour is a great avenue for youth to get involved both in the energy production and consumption of their community and in energy policy at a national level. It was a pleasure to meet with the students from southern Minnesota and to hear their thoughts on the renewable energy sources that will come to fruition during their lifetimes. I’m inspired by this future generation of leaders and I hope to see more students in Washington as part of future Rural Electric Youth Tours.”

High School students across Minnesota have the opportunity to win an iPad 2!  

The winning logo will be displayed by delegates on NRECA’s Youth Day where over 1,500 students will learn about electric co-ops. Any high school student can enter (even if he/she isn’t applying for the Youth Tour).
Contest Rules: Design a logo using an electronic desk top publishing tool. Create a front & back design for a t-shirt, logo can be one solid color or contain up to three colors. Do not include the year, 300dpi, jpeg. Email design to: Beth@mrea.org or mail a CD to: MREA, Attn: Beth Haider, 11640 73rd Ave N, Maple Grove, MN 55369. Include full name, school name, address, email address and phone number. For inspiration, visit the NRECA Youth Tour Photo Page: http://photos.youthtour.org/ to check out pictures of past delegates from both Minnesota and other states. The student’s family doesn’t need to be an electric cooperative customer.  Contest deadline is April 2, 2012.

Chaperone Opportunity

MREA invites 2 to 3 cooperative employees to attend this amazing event each year. If interested in becoming a chaperone, please contact Shari Wormwood; shari@mrea.org or (763) 424-7232.