Youth Tour
Each year, Clay-Union Electric sponsors an area student to go to Washington, DC to visit our Nations Capital. Anyone having a sophmore or junior in High School, living in Clay-Union Electric's territory should encourage his or her child to participate.
Every June, South Dakota’s electric cooperatives sponsor a group of teens to go to Washington, D.C. to participate in the Rural Electric Youth Tour. There, South Dakota’s students team up with more than 1,200 teens from around the country for Rural Electric Youth Day. This trip is all-expenses paid.
During the week, participants learn about the Washington D.C. area, the U.S. Government, the cooperative philosophy and rural electrification. The students are selected and sponsored by their local electric cooperatives. The South Dakota Rural Electric Association (SDREA) coordinates arrangements for the South Dakota students.
Why do South Dakota’s electric cooperatives offer this experience to the state’s teenagers? Because they realize it is more vital than ever that today’s young people understand and support the rural electrification program, for they are tomorrow’s leaders and consumers.
The tour is funded by the local rural electric cooperatives that participate in the weeklong event. The funding for the tour provides for each participant’s transportation, room and board, entertainment and
sightseeing events. Students are required to provide their own personal spending money for items such as snacks and souvenirs.
Also included on the tour is a breakfast briefing with South Dakota’s congressional delegation and an opportunity to job shadow in the delegation’s offices. Participants will have a mandatory orientation meeting the first evening, prior to flying out of Sioux Falls or Omaha (depending on airfare) for Washington, D.C. A commercial bus will be used for transportation while in Washington.
To be eligible for the trip, the student must be a high school sophomore or junior during the current school year and their parents or guardians must be members of the Clay-Union Electric Corporation.
To apply, please call Clay-Union Electric for the essay topic. You must submit an essay not to exceed 700 words on the subject. All essays must be type written and include a cover sheet that states the title of the essay, the entrants name, their parents name and the school they attend. A current picture of the student must be attached to the essay.
Trip and contest information will be sent to area high school Guidance offices. The mailing address is: Clay-Union Electric, PO Box 317, Vermillion, SD 57069. All essays will remain the property of Clay-Union Electric Corporation.
- Visit the Youth Tour web site for more information