Before they even hit the age of 20, three local students are headed on the trip of a lifetime to Washington, D.C.
The Government-in-Action Youth Tour is often described as the “trip of a lifetime” by alumni. At the end of June, we will know if Jack Morgan of San Antonio, Emma Lessing of Hondo, and Cassandra Zerr of D’Hanis agree.
These students will be representing Medina EC and Texas June 7-16 on the 2017 trip. They will meet up with more than 140 other students representing Texas electric cooperatives to tour Austin and learn firsthand about state government, and will then head to D.C., where they will join more than 1,500 other students from across the country.
During the trip, students visit memorials and museums, tour Capitol Hill, meet with elected officials from their area, and learn more about the cooperative business model.
Medina EC adheres to seven guiding principles, one of which is Cooperative Principle 5: Education, Training and Information. Co-ops are urged to provide education and training for their members and the general public, particularly young people, so that they can contribute effectively to their rural communities. The Youth Tour contest plays a vital role in Medina EC’s education of young people in our area.
Since 2007, the cooperative has sent 30 students on Youth Tour. All have returned with new friends, a new appreciation for government, new leadership skills and a better understanding of the world outside their hometown.
Winners were chosen based on essays they submitted. This year’s essay topic was, “Have family relationships been affected by digital communication, for example, texting and social media?” You can read the winning essays here. In addition to the trip, each winner also gets a $1,000 scholarship to use for their education after graduation.
If you’d like to be part of next year’s trip of a lifetime, watch for information on the 2018 contest in your November issue of Texas Co-op Power or email us at [email protected], and we will alert you when the application is available. The contest is open to high school sophomores and juniors.
