Rural Electric Washington D.C. Youth Tour

Washington D.C. Youth Tour participants with Senator Amy Klobuchar. See all 2010 Youth Tour photos.

Interested in an all expense paid trip to Washington, D.C.?  Have you always wondered what you would say to Senator Klobuchar or Senator Franken if you had the chance? How about watching the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier? Or sailing down the Potomac River? 

For more than 40 years, electric cooperatives have sponsored the annual Rural Electric Youth Tour by selecting high school juniors and seniors for a trip to Washington, D.C. to experience, first hand, the essence that is our republic. Witness the profound grandeur of monuments to our greatest leaders; reflect on the true cost of freedom by eyeing row upon row of white crosses at Arlington Cemetery; question your U.S. Representatives and Senators on issues that affect you, and unlock your individual spirit.

Tell me more

Your local electric cooperative could sponsor you to represent the co-op for the Washington Youth Tour. Your local cooperative pays all expenses for your trip and the Minnesota Rural Electric Association (MREA) coordinates the events. Participants will join more than 1,425 students from 43 states for an unforgettable week in our nation’s capitol.

This is not your ordinary sight-seeing tour. We combine leadership opportunities with just plain fun. We’ll spend a day on Capitol Hill visiting with our Senators and Representatives. There will be little time for sleep but lots of time for interaction and meeting new friends. Read comments from past Youth Tour participants.

2010 Chaperones

Alison Deelstra, director of education and communication joined the Minnesota Rural Electric Association in February 1994, in a part-time administrative position and has worked in all of MREA’s departments. Now she spends her time planning conferences and educational events for directors and employees of MREA’s 51 member electric co-ops, and oversees MREA’s communications and publications. Alison and her husband Cory live in Princeton and have three sons, Ryan, Drew and Casey. She enjoys working out, boating, fishing, reading, cooking and traveling.

Shallon Hagen and her boyfriend Chad Rheault feel very blessed to have the opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. and learn with the students and staff about our nation’s capital and the history of America. Shallon has been employed in the energy industry for four years and at Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association as a Marketing Coordinator since 2008. She received a bachelors degree in Marketing Management and Innovation from Concordia University St. Paul. She is an avid traveler, backpacker, kayaker and camper - a.k.a. adventurist. She has three fur kids…one dog and two cats.

Chad Rheault is a project engineer at Covidien, a medical device manufacturer located in Wabasha, Minnesota, home of the movie Grumpy Old Men. Chad has a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from St. Cloud State University and has designed automated machines and robotics for ten years. Chad’s hobbies include researching science, technology and the distribution of energy. He also considers himself as an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys kayaking, hiking and traveling.

 

Sam Mason has worked at Beltrami Electric Cooperative for eighteen years. Sam lives on forty wooded acres in Bemidji, Minn. with his wife Dawn, four sons ages nineteen to thirteen, and their border collie. The Mason family enjoys outdoor activities such as camping, water skiing and boating on area lakes. They have also worked on Habitat for Humanity homes and many 4H construction projects together. They have a workshop where they learn and develop construction skills. 

How do I apply?

To be selected for the Washington Youth Tour you must apply through the electric cooperative that serves your area of the state. Twenty-seven of Minnesota’s electric cooperatives participate in the Washington Youth Tour. Each co-op will have their own application process and criteria to select the student or students to be sponsored as delegates.

If you are a high school junior or senior, please contact your local electric cooperative for eligibility requirements.

For additional information, you may also contact MREA or visit our national association's Youth Tour website.

Testimonials

Paige Borst, 2009 Youth Tour Participant and National Youth Leadership Council Representative
NRECA Annual Meeting Summary Report
During the week of February 12 to the 17 I had the opportunity to travel to Atlanta, Georgia for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Annual meeting. Because of weather and cancellations I finally made it to Atlanta on Saturday night. Yes! I was finally here with all of my friends from across the nation and I was beyond excited to take part in the conference.
While in Atlanta I was able to meet and greet managers, CEOs, and employees of co‐ops from around the country. Throughout the week I had many responsibilities and privileges. I was able to attend the Ceremonial Luncheon to represent Minnesota and be there while they received their national award for the work they have done throughout the year.

The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association awarded Wright‐Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association the Association’s National Community Service Award for Energy Efficiency. The co‐op received the award for their innovation of “My Meter.” This allows their consumers to have daily access to their energy usage and much more. I was also able to present the Minnesota flag in the honorable Flag Ceremony. As Youth Council Delegates we had the challenge of sending 1,700 emails to co‐op employee’s state representatives about how they felt about the energy bills that are in debate in Washington, such as the EPA and RUNS, and I am proud to say that we were able to set a new record! My week was packed full and we never missed a beat.

By the time the end of the conference came I was beyond sad to have to say goodbye to my friends and leave the conference all together. The Annual Meeting was much more than a social event for me. I learned so much about our local, state, and national electric co‐ops that without my experiences I would have never learned. I discovered that a co‐op is much more than business. It is a family, a support beam, and an asset to our communities. They teach us to give back to our communities and look towards the future. I am so thankful for this experience and the opportunities that have followed.

To represent Minnesota on the National Youth Council was more than I ever could have expected. My experiences with NRECA will be cherished and remembered forever and I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to expand my knowledge and also make a difference in our world just by contributing my time. We have all been taught throughout our lives, without action there can be no change for the future. By being part of the NRECA’s National Youth Leadership Council I was able to prove this true as I was part of building a better future for generations to come!

(Paige Borst, sponsored by Todd‐Wadena Electric Co‐op, was selected from among several applicants during the 2009 Youth Tour to represent Minnesota on the National Youth Leadership Council.)

Congressman Tim Walz, Minnesota Congressional District 1: “The Rural Electric Youth Tour is a great avenue for youth to get involved both in the energy production and consumption of their community and in energy policy at a national level. It was a pleasure to meet with the students from southern Minnesota and to hear their thoughts on the renewable energy sources that will come to fruition during their lifetimes. I’m inspired by this future generation of leaders and I hope to see more students in Washington as part of future Rural Electric Youth Tours.”