Students invited to apply for CTEC DC trip
Contributed
High school students can apply for Government-in-Action Youth Tour, a 10-day trip to Washington, D.C. in June sponsored by the Central Texas Electric Cooperative. More than 1,900 students from across the nation attend Youth Tour, including 150 from Texas.
By Savanna Gregg
Staff Writer
Area high school students are invited to apply for Government-in-Action Youth Tour, a 10-day trip to Washington, D.C. in June sponsored by the Central Texas Electric Cooperative, on which students have the opportunity to learn about the government, explore the historical Capitol city, and meet new friends.
The CTEC covers airfare, hotel stay, meals and attractions on the trip, which gives students the chance to build leadership skills through social interaction and educational experiences.
Students will tour memorials, monuments, and museums in Washington, D.C., as well as participate in a dinner and dancing cruise on the Potomac River, attend a performance at the Kennedy Center, and explore many parts of the important city.
More than 1,900 students from across the nation attend Youth Tour, including 150 from Texas. The opportunity to make new friends is just as important as the educational aspects.
“It is really pretty amazing, the friendships that come from meeting and bonding with new people,” said CTEC Member Services Administrative Assistant Patricia Stehling.
All Youth Tour participants can also apply to become a member of the National Youth Leadership Council. One person is selected from each state, and all members get to return to Washington, D.C. for a leadership workshop in July through the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
It is never too early to have your voice heard. Students participating in Youth Tour are able to spend a day on Capitol Hill meeting congressional representatives and their staff members for an opportunity to discuss prominent issues in students' communities.
Participation in the Government-in-Action Youth Tour may also help students with college applications and resumes. The leadership experiences gained throughout the trip make for great additions to applications and essays, in which students may demonstrate the knowledge they gained while in the program.
“I got to go a couple of years ago as a chaperone,” Stehling said. “In the past, kids would come back so excited, telling me about the trip. Seeing the kids experience it and form these friendships gave me a new appreciation of how special this trip can be.”
The next Government-in-Action Youth Tour will take place June 12-21, 2019.
Students interested in applying for the Youth Tour must be in 10th, 11th, or 12th grade, be a dependent of a Central Texas Electric Co-Op member, and submit an essay on the topic: “Should electric linemen be considered first responders?”
Applications must be brought to CTEC's headquarters, 386 Friendship Lane, Fredericksburg, TX 78624, or mailed to the headquarters at P.O. Box 553, Fredericksburg, TX 78624-0553, by Friday, Jan. 25.
For more information about Youth Tour, visit YouthTour.org and TexasYouthTour.com, or contact Patricia Stehling at 800-900-2832, locally at 830-997-2126, or by email at patricia.stehling@ctec.coop
