Western Cooperative Electric makes it easier for local students to travel to the nation’s capital

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Bryan Garvert, Plainville Jr-Sr High School, and Mariah Werth, LaCrosse High School, recently represented Western Cooperative at the 2024 Electric Cooperative Youth Tour in Washington, DC, June 14-20. While in Washington, DC, the students deepened their understanding of American electric cooperatives and honed their leadership skills alongside peers from the electric cooperative community. These outstanding student representatives were selected through a rigorous selection process.

During Western Cooperative’s January application process, students were required to write an essay, take a quiz and participate in a virtual interview with a three-person panel of judges.

The Youth Tour began in Topeka with a lively dinner, followed by an exclusive overnight tour of the Kansas State Capitol led by State Treasurer Steven Johnson and Kansas Representative Kyle Hoffman, both alumni of the electric cooperative youth tours. While in Washington, students toured iconic landmarks such as the U.S. Capitol, the White House, Arlington National Cemetery, and Mount Vernon. They also visited the Holocaust Memorial and Smithsonian Museums to further deepen their understanding of history and culture. Students also enjoyed memorable experiences such as a pin exchange with students from other state delegations and a scenic dinner cruise on the Potomac River.

Reflecting on her experience, Werth shared, “A memory I will always have is a dinner cruise on the Potomac. We met some amazing friends on that dinner cruise and swapped a lot of pins. I was inspired by the people I was with on that trip. Learning about their experiences and perspectives taught me a new way of looking at the world.

During the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) National Youth Day on June 19, students were inspired by a group of motivational speakers. These included Paralympic gold medalist Mike Schlappi, along with other high-profile speakers, NRECA CEO Jim Matheson, representatives of the NRECA International Program and National Youth Spokesperson 2024 Hayley Dorsey.

Students also had the opportunity to interact directly with government officials by meeting with United States Senator Jerry Moran. During this meeting, students had the opportunity to ask questions on a variety of important topics.

Meeting students from all over the United States is an invaluable experience for participants. Garvert expressed appreciation for the opportunity: “I became more aware of the different cultures, languages ​​and accents of people from all over the country. The cultural melting pot that is Washington has had the greatest impact on me. This trip inspired me to consider other people’s perspectives on the world, not just my own.”

Students who participated in the 2024 Youth Tour are eligible to apply for the KEC Auxiliary Scholarship and the NRECA Glenn English Scholarship. For more information about the Youth Tour and other KEC youth programs, contact Nolan Numrich at Western Cooperative or visit www.westerncoop.com/youth-tour. Applications for the 2025 Youth Contest will open in December.