Iowa’s local electric cooperatives are just getting started on their selection process for high school sophomores, juniors and seniors from their areas to earn an all-expenses-paid trip for the June 18-24 Youth Tour to Washington, D.C. Unfortunately, there always are more qualified student candidates from these co-ops (as well as deserving students from co-ops that aren’t participating in the Youth Tour program) than there are openings on the trip. However, one of those students will have the opportunity to win a trip through the Iowa Electric Cooperative Living 2022 Youth Tour Contest!
Students who are eligible to apply for the Youth Tour trip at participating Iowa electric co-ops should apply locally first. However, students can double their chances of winning a trip by entering the magazine’s contest right after they enter the one for their electric co-op.
Students from across America take part in this weeklong education trip to the nation’s capital each year. Participants will travel to Washington, D.C., meet their U.S. representatives and senators, and watch history come alive as they explore museums, memorials and monuments. They’ll also meet student leaders from nearly every state and hear dynamic speakers during Youth Day. Best of all, students will make friendships that last a lifetime and become part of a group that has more than 50,000 alumni in every walk of life, including U.S. senators and CEOs.
An Iowa student will earn a $1,000 college scholarship too!
During the 2022 Youth Tour this June, a student from each participating state will be chosen to serve on the national Youth Leadership Council (YLC).
These young leaders will meet virtually throughout 2022 and participate in leadership training, practice their public speaking skills, attend co-op forums and engage in community activities like voter registration drives.
The Youth Leadership Council experience will officially commence at the 2023 National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) Annual Meeting, held in Nashville, Tennessee. Here, the group will spend a few days reflecting on the experiences they’ve had throughout the year, attend informational and entertaining conference sessions alongside electric cooperative leaders from throughout the country, and solidify lifelong friendships and connections!
Some of the things students will do and see on Youth Tour:
- Washington Monument
- World War II Memorial
- World War I Memorial
- Albert Einstein Memorial
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial
- The National Mall
- Boat cruise on the Potomac River
- Holocaust Memorial
- Ford’s Theater
- Korean War Veterans Memorial
- Lincoln Memorial
- Washington National Cathedral
- Mount Vernon
- Iwo Jima Sunset Parade
- White House
- U.S. Capitol
Official Contest Rules
The 2022 Youth Tour Contest is open to any high school sophomore, junior or senior who’s part of a member family of an Iowa electric co-op. One all-expenses-paid trip will be awarded by Iowa Electric Cooperative Living magazine, in addition to the trips sponsored by local electric cooperatives.
Of course, students at supporting co-ops first should apply for the Youth Tour through their electric co-ops. Then, to enhance your chances of earning a trip, we encourage you to enter this contest too. If you’re chosen as the winner of a trip sponsored by your local electric cooperative, you’ll become ineligible to win the trip sponsored by Iowa Electric Cooperative Living magazine.
To enter, you will be required to submit an official entry form plus a short (250-word maximum) essay in response to this statement: Pick one of the seven cooperative principles and share how your local electric cooperative embodies it. Entry forms are available at www.IowaYouthTour.com. You can submit your essay online at this address or email it to youthtour@iowarec.org. Entries must be received by March 25.
Iowa Electric Cooperative Living magazine and IAEC staff will judge all essays anonymously. The decision of the judges will be final. The winner of the Iowa Electric Cooperative Living Youth Tour Contest will not be announced until April 15, which is after all sponsoring local electric cooperatives will have chosen their 2022 Youth Tour participants.
