Sixty-two students from 26 Illinois electric and telephone cooperatives joined more than 1,800 of their peers in June at the annual National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) Youth to Washington Tour.
The students toured Capitol Hill, met with U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth and their local U.S. representatives. They also visited historical and cultural sites including Arlington National Cemetery, the Supreme Court, President Lincoln’s Cottage at First National Cemetery, a variety of memorials and the U.S. Capitol. Among fun activities the students enjoyed were an assembly of more than 1,800 Youth Tour participants from across the nation and a special farewell event at the Newseum, scheduled to close later this year.
During the trip, Kally Mayo of Egyptian Electric Cooperative Association (EECA), was chosen by her peers to represent Illinois on the Youth Leadership Council (YLC) of the NRECA. The YLC is a year-long appointment, and Mayo will represent EECA and all Illinois’ cooperatives at national and state meetings and events in the year ahead.