Each year, ECI REC pays the way for two high school juniors to attend the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour of Washington, D.C. The agenda and opportunities impressed both 2015 winners, Bristian Gerber of Vinton and Zachary Fischels of Independence.

The Electric Cooperative Youth Tour has been offering students from across America an inside experience in D.C. for over 50 years. On this Youth Tour, approximately 1,500 youth participants visit historical sites, explore the Smithsonian Museum, meet congressional leaders, spend a day on Capitol Hill, cruise down the Potomac River, and learn about American history and government.

Perhaps more important than the sightseeing activities are the leadership opportunities the Youth Tour provides. ECI REC youth have a history of taking advantage of these opportunities. In 2011, Belle Plaine student Connor Roth, a 2010 Youth Tour alum, was chosen to represent Iowa on the Youth Leadership Council. Conner worked at the NRECA Congressional Action Center during the group’s annual meeting, encouraging cooperative members to contact their senators and representatives on key co-op issues. Youth Tour alum Dalton Schmit was chosen to participate in the 2013 Iowa General Assembly Legislative Page program, helped plan activities for the 2014 Youth Tour trip, was a 2014 intern for Senator Tom Harkin, and interned at the White House this summer.

This year’s event takes place June 10‒16. To be eligible for the Youth Tour, students must have parents or legal guardians who are members of ECI REC. Applications can be found on our Youth Tour page and are due February 24. If you have further questions, email us at iowayouthtour@ ecirec.coop or phone us toll free at 877-850-4343.

Applications

• 2016 Youth Tour Application/Parent Permission Form* (document #CS-0032)
• 2016 Youth Tour Essay Questions* (document #CS-0031) *NOTE: To help ensure a successful email submission, it may be best to save the PDF document to your computer, complete the form, SAVE and/or SAVE AS (another file name), and attached the completed-saved PDF to the email address the form indicates. To view and/or to complete PDF forms you may need to download one of the following FREE PDF readers: Foxit or Adobe Reader.