Carlee Noe of Rowley and Leadah Price of Arlington recently participated in the National Rural Electric Cooperative Youth Tour. Sponsored by ECI REC, they traveled to Washington, D.C., in mid-June with 35 other student leaders from Iowa.

Every summer, this weeklong leadership development program provides high school students with opportunities to learn about government, the electric cooperative business model, and pressing issues in the energy industry. Students meet their elected legislators, tour historic sites, and run their very own snack cooperative.

For over 65 years, the annual Youth Tour has been a joint effort of locally owned electric cooperatives like East-Central Iowa REC, statewide trade associations, and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA).

"These students gain a firsthand understanding of the legislative process and make connections with other student leaders from across the country that will last a lifetime. We look forward to continuing the Youth Tour tradition for years to come," said Teresa Floyd, Chief Executive Officer of ECI REC. "The Youth Tour truly is a trip of lifetime, and ECI REC was proud to send these two young women to the nation’s capital."

In addition to taking in the sights of D.C., all the state groups convened for Rural Electric Youth Day, sponsored by the NRECA, to learn from public figures and other inspirational speakers. This year’s Youth Day agenda included an address by Mike Schlappi, a four-time Paralympic medalist and two-time world wheelchair basketball champion. Schlappi shared his inspiring message for every American, young or old: “Just because you can’t stand up doesn’t mean you can’t stand out.”

Since 1958, Iowa’s electric cooperatives have sponsored high school students on the Youth Tour. For more information, visit the Youth Tour page on our website or IowaYouthTour.com. You can also search “Iowa Youth Tour” on Facebook or Instagram to see the group’s recent adventures.