Youth Tour

Apply Today for FREE Chance at Eight-day Trip to Gettysburg and Washington, D.C.

High school juniors have a chance to join other Indiana youth on a trip of a lifetime this summer. Applications are now available for the 2013 Indiana Electric Cooperative Youth Tour to Washington, D.C. The trip begins on June 12 in Indianapolis and ends on June 20.

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. Home schooled students or students attending residential schools may also apply if the student’s family lives in the Tipmont service area. Applications must be returned to Tipmont REMC by Feb. 15.

According to Sasha Clements, communications coordinator for Tipmont REMC, the Indiana delegation will include over 75 students from across the state, each selected by his/her local cooperative. Hoosier students will travel to Washington, D.C. where they will join nearly 1,600 students – representing 44 states – for the Rural Electric Youth Tour Rally, sponsored by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA)

“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 his/her community – and the world!”

The Indiana delegation will meet in Indianapolis on June 12 to get acquainted and learn about electric cooperatives and electrical safety. Students will also enjoy a kick-off dinner at the Indiana Statehouse featuring a keynote address from a prominent political and/or business leader.

The student group makes its first stop on Thursday afternoon at the 9/11 Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pa., before arriving in Gettysburg, Pa., later that evening. In recognition of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War battle, this year students will spend two days touring battlefield sites, visiting the wax museum and viewing “Fields of Freedom” – a short film providing an in-depth look at the war’s most famous battle. Following dinner Friday night at the Dobbin House Tavern, built in 1776, students and chaperones will hear an historic account of what it was like to live in Gettysburg during what many consider to be the bloodiest three days in American history.

The caravan arrives 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.

On Tuesday, students will visit Capitol Hill and participate in exclusive meetings with Indiana’s Congressional delegation and legislative staff. During the meetings, students will have a chance to ask questions about current issues and topics which they feel are important to them, their family and the communities in which they live.

Indiana’s electric cooperatives have hosted the Youth Tour since 1960, providing hundreds of young Hoosiers the opportunity to visit our nation’s capital, develop their leadership skills, and learn about the federal government and the cooperative utility industry. For more information about the 2013 Indiana Electric Cooperative Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., or to receive an application, contact Sasha Clements at 800-726-3953 or visit www.tipmont.org/community/youth-tour.

2013 Youth Tour Application

Read more about the 2012 Youth Tour to Washington, DC.

Local students attend the 2012 Electric Cooperative Youth Tour to Washington, D.C. Front row, left to right, Courney Austin, Jenna Reno, Mackenzie Shumaker, Amanda Mankovich, and Emily Weesner.  Back row, left to right, Jordan Gillenwater, Timothy Dowers, Dexter Odle, Noah Hadley, and Michael Spors.

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."