Youth Tour to Washington Contest
Each year four high school juniors enjoy an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. during the nation's Youth Week in June.
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| 2020 Youth Tour to Washington winners |
The selection of the winners begins when 26 high schools within the co-op's service area each select a school representative (must be in 11th grade). The representatives travel to Tallahassee, our state capital, on a three-day expense-paid, chaperoned trip. During this trip the students have opportunities to observe the state legislature in session, to learn about our State's Supreme Court and to compete to earn one of the four spots to Washington, D.C.
While in Tallahassee, the students take a written quiz about electric cooperatives and give a speech which is scored by a nonpartisan panel of judges. Study sheets for the quiz as well as the topic for the speech are provided in advance. Four students are then chosen for the trip to Washington, D.C.
The four winners of the 2020 Youth Tour to Washington contest are Shaina Storch of Gainesville High School, Ellie Hingson of Columbia High School, Nikki Russo of Oakleaf High School and Julia Schildberg of St. Johns Country Day. The alternates are Delaney Sweat of Union County High School and Laura Kleckner of Santa Fe High School.
Since the 2020 trip to Washington, D.C. was canceled due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the four winners will be awarded scholarships.
The Youth Tour program at Clay Electric was implemented in the summer of 1966. At that time two students were chosen to travel to Washington, D.C. through an essay contest.
If you are interested in the 2021 Youth Tour to Washington contest, see your school counselor or contact your local district office and ask for the Member Relations Representative.