Youth Tour 2025 will take place June 15 - 21.
We are pleased to announce that Claire Gendron, a student at North Central High School, was chosen as our 2025 Youth Tour delegate. She will joining over 40 other Ohio students for a week-long adventure!
If you are a sophomore or junior and your parents or guardians are NWEC members, you can apply for this fun, learning experience! NWEC will choose one or two local students who will receive an all-expenses-paid, week-long trip to Washington, D.C. in June. The students will join over 1,800 other students from across Ohio and the nation who will visit with their congressional leaders and see D.C.'s most impressive and historic sites.
The contest application deadline has passed for this year.
Click the link below to hear from our 2024 delegates and see some of their adventures! Joel Stiver, a student at Edgerton High School and Gavin Palladino, a student at Fairview High School, traveled to Washington, D.C. for a trip they will never forget!
What is the Government-in-Action Youth Tour?
Every June, as many as 1,800 high school students from across the country spend a week in the nation's capital as part of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Youth Tour. The students are sponsored by electric cooperatives – cooperatives that are committed to educating America's rural youth about America and the role electric cooperatives play in developing strong rural communities.
Participating in the Youth Tour is an awesome way to learn about this great nation, develop leadership skills, gain a better understanding of electric cooperatives, and make friendships that will last beyond the week!
4 REASONS WHY YOUTH TOUR IS FOR YOU
#1 - It’s not like your school trip to D.C.
NWEC knows many students have already been to Washington, but this adventure is specifically planned to be different. We’ll visit many sites schools aren’t able to take you, giving you an insider tour. This trip is every history buff’s dream. You’ll meet your congressional leaders face-to-face and participate in a small group on Capitol Hill.
#2 - Meet new people — and yourself
You will find yourself going out of your comfort zone (and liking it). Being surrounded by people you don’t know allows you to be yourself in a way not possible around your current classmates. You can come out of your shell and be the person you want to be — not just the person everyone thinks you are. Plus, you’ll make lifelong friends we can help you stay in touch with after the trip has ended.
#3 - Learning about co-ops will blow your mind
Cooperatives are the business model of the future. We put people over profits and are community focused, governed by the members we serve. If you want to work with a purpose, co-ops are just the place to do that. Learn about how co-ops operate and make communities a better place.
#4 - It’s fun (and FREE)!
Youth Tour is a blast — just ask any of our past student delegates. Even with a full schedule, we provide plenty of down time and several social events where you can meet delegates from other states. Most importantly, this is an all-expenses-paid experience. NWEC will pay for everything. Just be sure to bring some cash for souvenirs.