Youth Tour

Tipmont seeks High School Juniors for all-expense-paid trip to Washington D.C.!

High school juniors have a chance to join other Indiana youth on a trip of a lifetime. Applications are now available for the 2012 Electric Cooperative Youth Tour to Washington, D.C. The trip begins on June 13 in Indianapolis and ends on June 21.

Tipmont REMC will sponsor 10 students from local schools. To qualify, students must apply for the tour and be interviewed by a special committee consisting of Tipmont REMC employees and directors. Juniors from the following high schools may apply: Attica, Benton Central, Central Catholic, Clinton Prairie, Covington, Fountain Central, Harrison, McCutcheon, North Montgomery, and South Montgomery. Applications must be returned to Tipmont REMC by February 24, 2012.

According to Sasha Clements, communications coordinator for Tipmont REMC, the Indiana delegation will include approximately 75 students from throughout the state, each selected by his/her local cooperative. In 2011, over 1,550 students from around the country were in Washington for the conference.

“Tipmont REMC is pleased to be able to provide this opportunity for local students,” Clements said. “It’s a great trip and a wonderful chance to see the sights, make new friends and learn how everyone, even young people, can be a leader and make a difference in the world.”

The Indiana delegation will meet in Indianapolis on Wednesday, June 13 to get acquainted and hear from Indiana legislative leaders during a kick-off dinner featuring Senator Dan Coats and Indiana Speaker of the House Brian Bosma. Before departing heading east, students will visit the Hoosier Training Center in Franklin, Ind., where they will participate in hands-on learning sessions simulating an electric lineman’s job, observe a pole-top rescue, learn about electric safety during a live wire demonstration presented by Kankakee Valley REMC, and much more.

New for this year, students and chaperones will make a stop at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, PA, on their way to Gettysburg where they will visit the battlefield and museum. The caravan will arrive in Washington, D.C. on Saturday afternoon to begin a full schedule of sight-seeing, visits to the National Memorials – including the new Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial – a collection of museums, such as the Newseum and the National Archives, plus a night cruise on the Potomac River and a trip back in history at Medieval Times®. Students will also have an opportunity to compete for a $1,000 scholarship and the Youth Leadership Council.

Over 1,500 students – representing 44 states – will participate in the “Youth Tour Rally” on Monday morning where they will share their thoughts and opinions on a variety of timely issues. This will prepare them for a busy Tuesday on Capitol Hill, when students visit with representatives of Indiana’s Congressional delegation. Leadership lessons will be intertwined with the itinerary throughout the week.

Indiana’s electric cooperatives have hosted the Youth Tour since 1960, providing hundreds of young Hoosiers the opportunity to visit our nation’s capital and learn about the federal government and the cooperative utility industry.

Youth Tour information is available at local high schools. For more information about the 2012 Electric Cooperative Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., or to receive an application, contact Sasha Clements at 1-800-726-3953 or visit www.tipmont.org.

2012 Youth Tour Application - due by February 24, 2012 (PDF)

About Electric Cooperative Youth Tour (from www.youthtour.coop)

"What makes electric cooperatives different from other utilities is that “giving something back to the community” is part of their business plan. Why do electric cooperatives bring high school students to Washington? Because it is important to learn about the political process to interact with your government. You will walk away from this week as a better leader and a sense that you can make a difference.

The Electric Cooperative Youth Tour has brought high school students to Washington, D.C. every June since the late 1950s. Students compete for slots for this unique opportunity and are selected for this program by their local electric cooperative.

The featured speakers during National Youth Day provide insight to the important roles electric cooperatives play in their community. Students gain a personal understanding of American history and their role as a citizen by meeting their representative and senators and explore the sights around the nation’s capital. Don’t be surprised if you run into a former Youth Tour participant who is a congressional aide on Capitol Hill. Several of our alums work in Washington.

Over 40,000 students from rural areas and small towns across America have participated in this unique program. Some of our Youth Tour alums have gone on to design airplanes and to serve in the highest ranks of our government, including the U.S. Senate.

If you want to be part of this fun (free!) week in Washington, please contact your local electric cooperative or high school career center for additional information."

 

Read more about the 2011 Youth Tour to Washington, DC.

Local students attend the 2011 Electric Cooperative Youth Tour to Washington, D.C. Front, left to right, Jordan Hainje, Erin Harper, Kayla Carpenter, Carolyn Trueblood, Megan Switzer.  Back, left to right, Nick Shear, Kayla Smith, Justin Ratcliff, Grant King, Dominick Rivers.