PHOTO COURTESY OF NRECA
What do Lyndon B. Johnson, Tim Cook and Jimmy Carter have in common? They’re all connected to an extraordinary program that aims to prepare and power the next generation of cooperative leaders.
Every June since the late 1950s, high school students sponsored by electric cooperatives across the nation have converged upon the nation’s capital for a week they’ll never forget. They’re among the young people participating in the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour.
“They get to experience things they typically wouldn’t have the opportunity to do,” said Brooke Gross, member services manager and facilitator of youth programs at the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives. “It opens their eyes and broadens their horizons to so much of what’s happening in America.”
Years before Lyndon B. Johnson became the 36th President, the then-Senator energized attendees at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s 1957 Annual Meeting, urging them to focus on educating their younger members. “If one thing comes out of this meeting,” he said, “it will be sending youngsters to the national capital, where they can actually see what the flag stands for and represents.”
A year later, an electric co-op in Iowa took 34 students to D.C., with that goal, which was followed by a busload of students from Illinois in 1959. Other electric co-ops quickly followed suit. NRECA combined the many local efforts into a nationwide program in 1964.
While the purpose of Youth Tour is to allow teens to see the nation’s capital up close, learn about the political process, and better understand the role they play as citizens, a bigger goal is to interest the students in becoming part of helping electric co-ops serve their local communities.
Youth Tour connects nearly 2,000 participants from across the country, but the students don’t pay a penny. The entire cost is funded by local cooperatives, statewide associations and NRECA, all of whom recognize its value.
“While visiting D.C., participants get a firsthand look at the monuments and memorials that narrate American history, and they explore interactive exhibits and displays at the Smithsonian museums,” Gross said. “The experience enriches their understanding of our nation’s heritage and ignites a passion for learning. Participants also have an opportunity to meet with elected officials.”
Many delegates return home invested in their electric co-ops, and some eventually become employees. Some Youth Tour alumni even earn college scholarships through the Glen English Scholarship Foundation, while others are selected to participate in a Youth Leadership Council program.
“Our goal is to make sure that Youth Tour delegates leave D.C. inspired, ready to go back to their hometown and become the leaders who will create the change their communities need to see,” Gross said.
This year’s Youth Tour will be held June 16-23. To see what the Illinois delegation is up to during the trip, go to Facebook.com/ILYouthTour.
Scott Flood, NRECA
