High school students aged 16 and older in Carroll Electric Membership Cooperative’s (EMC) service territory are eligible to compete for a spot on this year’s Washington Youth Tour (WYT). The cooperative will send two student delegates to Washington, D.C., for a weeklong, all-expenses-paid trip scheduled for June 16-24, 2022.
Coronavirus restrictions have kept an in-person tour at bay for two years. This year, the fun returns. WYT will bring students together from electric cooperatives across Georgia to the nation’s capital for a week of leadership activities and sightseeing. Trip highlights typically include visiting the U.S. Capitol, Holocaust Museum, Smithsonian Institution, U.S. Supreme Court and whenever possible, the White House. Other stops could include the National Cathedral and Arlington Cemetery as well as the World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War memorials and the Lincoln, Jefferson and FDR memorials.
“We’re excited to offer this opportunity to students again,” said Ryan Sammon, Community Relations Specialist for Carroll EMC. “Having been on WYT myself, I know it is a once-in-a- lifetime opportunity to travel to Washington D.C., see all the historic landmarks, all while having fun and making life-long connections.”
Given the pandemic is ongoing, there will be additional stipulations to attend this year’s WYT. For the safety of participants, Carroll EMC’s statewide association and organizer of the tour, Georgia EMC, has outlined the following provisions.
While delegates are encouraged to be vaccinated, it will not be required for attendance. This may change, however, if many of the key stops on the tour begin requiring proof of vaccination. It is also possible that a negative COVID test will be required within 48 hours of arrival at the kickoff banquet. The group will follow local requirements related to wearing masks. Additionally, delegates experiencing symptoms while on the tour will be tested, and if a delegate tests positive for the virus, their parent or guardian will be responsible for coordinating logistics and funding getting that delegate back home.
Any qualifying candidate who meets the eligibility criteria and wishes to apply for WYT must do so by February 28, 2022. Applications can be found and submitted online at carrollemc.com/washington-youth-tour. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Ryan Sammon at 770-830-5727 or ryan.sammon@carrollemc.com.