Adams Electric values education and training as one of the seven cooperative principles, particularly when it concerns our community’s youth. The 
National Rural Electric Youth Tour program, sponsored by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) and Adams Electric, offers current high school juniors the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C., for an all-expenses-paid week of fun, learning and sightseeing during the summer before their senior year.
Selected delegates get the chance to meet their state’s congressperson, see the U.S. Capitol, and tour national monuments and memorials with more than 1,800 of their peers from across the country. Students participating in the trip typically visit Capitol Hill, the National Zoo, Arlington Cemetery, the Holocaust Museum and the Pentagon Memorial, among other sites.
The 2025 Tour is scheduled for June 16-21. To be considered, interested candidates must submit a resume and participate in a face-to-face interview. Juniors who want to be a part of this fun (and free) week in Washington, D.C., should apply before Jan. 10, 2025. Interviews will be scheduled for Jan. 20 at cooperative headquarters. Students do not need to be the child of a cooperative member to apply.
The Electric Cooperative Youth Tour has brought high school students to Washington, D.C. for a week in June every year since the late 1950s. The Monday of Youth Tour week begins with National Youth Day, when students from rural America gather to learn about the rich history of electric cooperatives and the important role of being an active participant in our democracy. The Youth Day program features speakers who motivate and honor the spirit of electric cooperatives’ commitment to community and the important role of being politically aware and politically active.
Youth Day is also where the Youth Leadership Council (YLC) members are introduced. The YLC is composed of one student per state who is selected to come back to Washington, D.C., in July for a week of leadership training and fun. The selected student then also plays an active role in the NRECA Annual Meeting the following spring.
Nearly 50,000 students from rural areas and small towns across America have participated in this program. The first year of the coordinated Tour included approximately 400 young people from 12 states. Word of the program has continued to spread and now, nearly 2,000 students and more than 250 chaperones participate in the Youth Tour every year.
Keep in mind that the program involves a great deal of walking. Dress is generally casual, but professional dress is expected for a day on Capitol Hill. Adams Electric is a sponsor of this trip and pays all fees for the students who participate (a $2,500 value per person).
To be considered, students must be able to complete all required paperwork and participate in the selection process -- a resume review and in-person interview. If you want to be part of this fun (free!) week in Washington, please apply below. You must be a current JUNIOR in high school to apply.
If you have questions, contact Adams Electric by calling 1-800-726-2324. You may also obtain more information by visiting http://electric.coop/our-organization/youth-programs/.