Washington Youth Tour
More than 130 students from electric cooperative service areas across Tennessee added their names in June to the growing list of young leaders who have experienced the vibrant activities of our nation’s capital as part of the Washington Youth Tour. Zak Hileman, son of Stanley and Melanie Hileman of Bulls Gap; Madi Harris, daughter of Leigh Anne Kelly of Church Hill; Christina Maddox, daughter of Joey and Michelle Maddox of Rogersville; Courtney Dickerson, daughter of Rebecca Templeton and Danny Dickerson of Morristown; Courtney Skelton, daugher of Brian and Donna Skelton of Church Hill; and Linda Tipton, daughter of Charles and Laura Tipton of Mt. Carmel were awarded a weeklong trip to Washington, D.C., for writing winning short stories titled “Electric Cooperatives: iPower the future,” describing how their locally owned, member-controlled electric cooperative ensures the future success of the community by taking an active role in improving lives across its service area.
Washington Youth Tour contest winners stand with a statue of Thomas Jefferson at Monticello. From Left, Linda Tipton, Zak Hileman, Madi Harris, Courtney Skelton, Christina Maddox, and Courtney Dickerson.
The Electric Cooperative Youth Tour has been a joint effort of local electric co-ops such as Holston EC, their statewide co-op association and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association for more than 40 years. Each school year, Holston EC sponsors a short story contest for high school juniors. Winners are awarded expense-paid trips to our nation’s capital the following June as part of the Washington Youth Tour. This year’s whirlwind trip ran June 10-16 and included meetings with elected officials, visits to Washington’s popular tourist stops and time to meet winners representing other co-ops across the state.
This year’s Youth Tour was another fantastic trip,” said Michelle Simpson, Communications Specialist, who served as a chaperone. “We always bring a top-notch group of students to Washington, D.C., and this year was no exception. These future member-owners thoroughly enjoyed everything we saw and were model ambassadors representing their families, state and hometown electric co-op.”
On the tour, students saw famous sites they’d learned about in school, including the White House and memorials to past presidents Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Delano Roosevelt as well as monuments honoring the sacrifices of veterans of World War II and the Vietnam and Korean conflicts. Strolls through the varied museums of the Smithsonian Institution afforded the students opportunities to learn more about science, history and art. Other fun stops included homes of former presidents — George Washington’s Mount Vernon and Jefferson’s Monticello — Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, a performance of “Shear Madness” at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and an evening cruise down the Potomac River.
The Youth Tour also included solemn and sobering visits to Arlington National Cemetery and the Holocaust Memorial. The Tennessee group marveled at the precision and skill of the United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps and Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon at the Sunset Parade, performed in front of the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial’s iconic statue re-creating the flag-raising over Iwo Jima.
Holston EC participants enjoy the view of the Capitol. Back Row, Linda Tipton, Courtney Skelton, Christina Maddox, Zak Hileman, Courtney Dickerson. Center, Madi Harris. Front Row, HEC Communications Specialist Michelle Simpson and Morristown-Hamblen High School East Teacher, Misti Gray.
No trip to Washington, D.C., would be complete without a lesson or two in government and civics. The group was treated to a special after-hours, VIP guided tour of the historic U.S. Capitol by Congressman Phil Roe of Tennessee's First District.
An annual treat, Tennessee’s Youth Tour delegation joined other trip winners from across the country for Youth Day on Monday, June 13. More than 1,500 students came together to swap stories of their Washington experiences. And Mike Schlappi, a four-time Paralympic medalist and two-time wheelchair basketball champion, returned for this year’s program to share his inspiring message for every American, young or old: “Just because you can’t stand up doesn’t mean you can’t stand out.”
When the trip was over Linda Tipton commented, “The Youth Tour was an amazing experience! The things I learned and the friends I made I will remember for the rest of my life.” And Madi Harris stated, “We had so many exciting events take place that I will remember forever. I’m so glad that I got the chance to go on this trip and so thankful to all those who helped plan and organize it.” Misti Gray, a teacher from Morristown-Hamblen High School East concluded, "The 2011 Washington Youth Tour was an extraordinary and life changing experience, for all those who participated. It was an agenda full of our country's foundation and history, that is neccesary for all future leaders to understand and comprehend; as to avoid the repetition of our lowest points, and to respect and have empathy for the decisions made in the higher points of our country's growth. The students had to show their creativity in an essay, however their reward was far greater. It was a wonderful group of students; and watching them learn and grow from the trip, makes every late night essay grading session worth while. Thank you so much for such a phenominal opportunity!"
“This is another example of the wonderful programs our local electric cooperative sponsors to educate our youth on their hometown electric cooperative,” says Holston EC General Manager Larry Elkins. “Through this and similar educational opportunities made possible by Holston EC, our future member-owners experience first-hand how we energize their communities.”
Since 1964, the nation's cooperative electric utilities have sponsored more than 40,000 high school juniors and seniors for visits to their U.S. congressional delegations, energy and grassroots government education sessions, and sightseeing in Washington. NRECA is the national service organization representing the nation's more than 900 private, not-for-profit consumer-owned electric cooperatives, which provide electric service to 42 million people in 47 states. For more information, please go to http://www.youthtour.coop. To view this year's booklet with guidelines for the short story, please go to http://mydigimag.rrd.com/publication/?i=59645.
