The Rural Electric Youth Tour for high-school juniors - June 14 - June 20, 2008
The 2008 winners are Nicolas Garces of Leesville Road High School in Raleigh and Melissa Lantzer of Wake Forest-Rolesville High School in Wake Forest.
The Rural Electric Youth Tour is an annual event coordinated by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) and the North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation and sponsored by local electric cooperatives around the state.
Some 1,500 high school students from 40 states gather in Washington, DC for an all-expense paid week in early June. Participants visit the historical sites they have studied about, learn about the rural electrification program and see U.S. Government in action.
North Carolina has participated in the Youth Tour since 1967, and since then, about 1,000 young people have experienced this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Although learning is a major aspect of the trip, the fun of getting to know other teens from across the state and the nation is important. Many life-long friendships have been created on the Youth Tour. Every year Wake Electric sponsors students from its service area to attend. To learn more about the youth tour, go to www.youthtour.coop.
Who is eligible to apply? Any high school junior in Durham, Franklin, Granville, Johnston, Nash, Vance and Wake counties. Student must be planning to start his or her senior year in high school in the fall of 2008. Students chosen to attend the youth tour will automatically receive the $1000 scholarship.
The Youth Tour exists to:
- Educate youth on rural electrification for a better understanding of rural electric cooperatives.
- Provide an opportunity for youth to visit monuments, government buildings and cooperative-related organizations and become familiar with the historical and the political environment of the nation’s capital.
- Allow youth to meet elected officials to better understand how federal government operates.
The deadline to submit applications is Friday, Feb. 8, 2008.
The youth tour is another program funded through voluntary member and employee donations to Operation Round and the Wake Electric Foundation.
Applications or questions can be directed to:
Angela Perez
Communications/Public Relations Specialist
P.O. Box 1229
Wake Forest, NC 27588
E-mail: angela.perez@wemc.com
Fax: 919.863.4709
Phone: 919.863.6376
