The Washington Youth Tour is loading up the buses in a few weeks, and four high school juniors will pack their bags to represent Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation on the trip. Winners of the UCEMC Creative Writing and Scholarship Competition not only earned spots on the once-in-a-lifetime tour of our nation’s capital with 2,000 other students from across the country, but they also score a $1,000 scholarship and qualify for additional trips and even more money toward their college education.

Students submitted their 900-word short story entitled “Co-ops Connect” and competed with dozens of high school juniors in their district. Ethan Hooks attends Livingston Academy, Jean Silvano is a junior at Gordonsville High, Chloe Ledbetter is from Jackson County High and Riley Vinson is from Upperman High School.

Each day of the Washington Youth Tour brings more impressive sights, opportunities for photos, and lots of memories. Among the activities on the agenda are tours of Washington D.C. and all its landmarks, memorials, and museums. Highlights include the Smithsonian Institution, the U.S. Capitol, Mount Vernon, and Monticello. Tennessee’s electric cooperatives pay food, travel, and lodging expenses, but the benefits of the Youth Tour go far beyond an expense-paid trip.

Students get help to pay for their college education with scholarships of $3,000, $2,000, or $1,000 awarded by the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association if their story is considered one of the state’s top three. In addition to scholarships provided by the electric co-ops, Union University in Jackson and Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City have recognized the leadership potential of Youth Tour delegates. The universities have agreed to provide dozens of scholarships worth up to $10,000 annually for four years.

Will your teen be a high school junior next year? Don’t miss the call for entries in January 2025! Learn more about the Washington Youth Tour at youthtour.tnelectric.org.