Fifty-three young leaders representing 24 Illinois electric cooperatives boarded buses and departed for Washington, D.C. on June 16 for the annual National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s (NRECA’s) Youth to Washington Tour. They joined more than 1,800 youth delegates from across the nation for this annual tradition that has spanned nearly 60 years.

Eli Brinkerhoff and Aubrey Lawson, both of Paris, represented EnerStar Electric Cooperative. The weeklong event offers the opportunity to witness the government in action, meet their elected officials, and see the sights of the capital city.

“Youth Tour is impactful in many ways,” said Angela Griffin, EnerStar’s Manager of Marketing and Communications. “While these future leaders may have thought it was going to simply be a sightseeing trip to our nation’s capital, they returned home with valuable knowledge and memories that will last a lifetime.”

The students visited Capitol Hill and met with Congresswoman Mary Miller (R-15). They also visited historical and cultural sites including Gettysburg, Arlington National Cemetery, the Supreme Court, the White House, the National Mall, the Smithsonian Institution, the Holocaust Memorial Museum, Ford’s Theatre, and many more memorials and historic sites.

The tour’s bus ride to D.C. also allowed plenty of time for co-op education. The students formed the Chip ‘N Pop Co-op and ran for seats on the board. The board then interviewed candidates and selected a manager. Traditionally, money made during the trip is returned to the students as capital credits. This year, the Chip ‘N Pop Co-op members voted to donate the profits of more than $200 back to the Youth Tour program.

High school students who live within the service area of EnerStar are eligible to participate in the annual program. To learn more about Youth Tour, go to www.youthtour.coop. Applications for the 2024 tour will be available in October.