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South Kentucky RECC recently took nine area students to Washington, D. C. for the 40th annual Washington Rural Electric Youth Tour on June 10-17. The Kentucky Rural Electric Washington Youth Tour is an annual, week-long, all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D. C., which is open to select high school students whose homes are served by electric cooperatives. Most of Kentucky’s electric cooperatives, including South Kentucky RECC, participate in this tour each year, with 94 high school students from across the state participating this year. Nationwide, electric co-ops from 41 states send students, with nearly 1,500 young men and women from across the nation gathering in Washington, D. C. each year. South Kentucky RECC’s mission statement says that the co-op will work to “improve the quality of life in its communities.” An important way that the co-op feels it can improve the quality of life is through its youth, and one way is by participating in the Washington Youth Tour each year. Alan Coffey, Member Services and Marketing team leader, says programs like the Washington Youth Tour are important for our youth. “We feel that the Washington Rural Electric Youth Tour is a wonderful opportunity to send our youth to our nation’s capital allowing them to get exposure to our government and how government works. They also learn about co-ops and the Cooperative Principles. Many of these young people are going to be our future co-op members, and it is our goal that, through this experience, they will not only become better citizens but also learn and understand what electric co-ops are all about.” In addition to taking in the sights and sounds of the nation’s capital, the Kentucky students joined students from around the country for NRECA’s Youth Day on June 13 to learn from public figures and other inspirational speakers. This year’s Youth Day agenda included Mike Schlappi, a four-time Paralympic Medallist and two-time world Champion Wheelchair Basketball champion. Mr. Schlappi shares his inspiring message for every American, young or old: “Just because you can’t stand up, doesn’t mean you can’t stand out.” As president of Mike Schlappi Communications, he spreads that word to audiences ranging from students to chief executive officers, from rookies to Olympic champions, and from small gatherings to major conventions. Since 1972, Kentucky’s electric cooperatives have sent more than 2,000 high school students to Washington, DC, for visits with their U.S. senators and representatives, energy and grassroots government education sessions, and sightseeing. The students that attended the tour to Washington, D. C., were: Reilly Leslie, Adair County High School Brittany Smith, Clinton County High School Megan Barbour, McCreary Central High School Jacob Burton, Monticello High School Samantha Arthur, Pulaski County High School Jacob Phelps, Russell County High School Jacob Adams, Somerset Christian School Lucas Garrett, Southwestern High School Dillon Staples, Wayne County High School The group, while in Washington, D. C., visited many of our nation’s memorials, the U. S. Capitol, Arlington National Cemetery, and met with Kentucky’s congressmen and senators. |
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