JULY 1 - 2010 – Brittany DeCandia of Owenton; Erin Hertzenberg of  California; and Olivia Mueller of Covington were among the 86 high school students from across Kentucky who participated in the 39th annual Kentucky Rural Electric Washington Youth Tour held June 11-18, 2010, in Washington, DC.  Selected on the basis of academic achievement, community involvement, and their participation in the Frankfort Youth Tour, DeCandia, Hertzenberg, and Mueller were sponsored by Owen Electric Cooperative.

Each year in June, an action-filled week provides high school students opportunities to learn first-hand what it is like to be involved in politics, community service, and today’s pressing issues.  The theme of the 2010 program was “Commitment to Community.”  Highlights included meeting with their elected representatives in the U.S. House and Senate to discuss the process of government and issues of the day and increasing their knowledge of cooperative electric utilities and American history.

The Kentucky Rural Electric Washington Youth Tour is conducted by the Louisville-based Kentucky Association of Electric Cooperatives (KAEC) on behalf of 22 participating Kentucky electric distribution cooperatives.  The activity is part of a larger, nationwide youth program sponsored by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), Arlington, Virginia, that brings almost 1,500 high students to the nation’s capitol each year.
 

In addition to taking in the sights and sounds of the nation’s capital, the Kentucky students joined students from around the country for NRECA’s Youth Day on June 14 to learn from public figures and other inspirational speakers.

This year’s Youth Day agenda included Mike Schlappi, a four-time Paralympic Medallist and two-time world Champion Wheelchair Basketball champion.  Mr. Schlappi shares his inspiring message for every American, young or old: “Just because you can’t stand up, doesn’t mean you can’t stand out.”  As president of Mike Schlappi Communications, he spreads that word to audiences ranging from students to chief executive officers, from rookies to Olympic champions, and from small gatherings to major conventions.

Since 1972, Kentucky’s electric cooperatives have sent more than 2,000 high school students to Washington, DC, for visits with their U.S. senators and representatives, energy and grassroots government education sessions, and sightseeing.

KAEC is the statewide service organization that represents Kentucky’s 26 not-for-profit, consumer-owned electric cooperatives that provide electric service to nearly 2 million Kentuckians in 117 of the state’s 120 counties.  For more information about the Kentucky Rural Electric Washington Youth Tour, visit http://youthtour.kaec.org.