In June, North Central High School student Claire Gendron joined 45 other Ohio youth delegates for the annual Electric Cooperative Youth Tour trip to Washington, D.C. The students began their journey in Columbus and traveled by charter bus throughout the week to visit and experience historical monuments, museums and the nation’s capital.

Their itinerary was packed, with stops in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Washington, D.C. While at the Capitol, the students had the opportunity for a meet-and-greet with several Ohio legislators.

The group also attended a performance of Les Misérables at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Their weeklong adventure ended with a guided tour of the Cardinal Power Plant near Brilliant, Ohio.

While on the trip, the Ohio students met up with more than 2,000 students from 43 other states. Coordinated by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the annual trip is focused on connecting the youth with their local electric cooperative, their national government and their fellow rural students from all over the country.