Youth Tour

Washington, D.C. Youth Tour...

The Youth Tour is an annual, week-long, all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., that is open to high school students who have participated in the Youth Energy Camp.  Nationwide, rural electric providers from 41 states participate.  In all, more than 1,500 young people from across the nation gather in Washington, D.C. each year for this event.

High school students who attend the energy camp have the opportunity to compete for a chance to participate as state ambassadors in the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association's (NRECA) Youth Tour in Washington, D.C. in June the following year.  All ambassador expenses are paid by the Nebraska Rural Electric Association and through a scholarship provided by Union Bank and Trust.  Three students are selected by their peers to serve as ambassadors.

The ambassador competition involves submitting an application at Youth Energy Camp, presenting a self-introduction speech, and delivering a five-minute speech on an assigned topic.  Each camper votes for three candidates following the speech with the top male, top female, and person with the next highest vote total becoming next year's ambassadors.  The top six finalists and ties are invited to return to next year's Youth Energy Camp as junior counselors.