Carroll EMC annually selects two local high school students to receive an all-expenses-paid, week-long educational trip to Washington, D.C., as a participant in the Washington Youth Tour.
Program
The Washington Youth Tour, the state's oldest youth leadership program, was created from extemporaneous comments made by late-Senator Lyndon Johnson as he addressed the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) Annual Meeting in Chicago in 1957. "If one thing goes out of this meeting," the Senator declared, "I hope it will be sending youngsters to the national capitol where they can actually see what the flag stands for and represents." Beginning that year, some of the Texas Electric Cooperatives sent groups of young people to Washington, D.C. to work during the summer in Senator Johnson's office to learn about government in action.
Carroll EMC will send two high school students from our service area on this exciting, all expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C. These two teenagers will join dozens of students from other electric cooperatives in Georgia to represent our state in the Washington Youth Tour, an annual event that brings more than 1,500 young people from across the country to our nation's capital.
Youth Tour events for Georgia's participants begin with a kickoff banquet for the students and their parents. That will be followed by a day full of activities for the Georgia students before they fly to Washington. Youth Tour 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.
In addition, students will have the opportunity to meet state and national leaders and gain a better understanding of how our government works. Participants will also be involved in leadership building activities and will have the opportunity to interact with students from across Georgia and across the United States.
The Youth Tour is fun, fast-paced, well-organized and packed full of activities. The tour directors are two employees of our statewide organization, Georgia EMC. They do a terrific job of planning and organizing the entire trip.
Several EMC employees and their spouses from across the state volunteer to serve as chaperones. Two teacher chaperones are chosen each year as well.
Eligibility
Students attending a high school in Carroll, Haralson, Heard, Paulding, Polk or Troup County, or those whose primary residence receives electricity from Carroll EMC, are eligible to compete for the next Washington Youth Tour.*
*Children, grandchildren or any close relative of a Carroll EMC employee, Carroll EMC director or Carroll EMC Foundation trustee must apply for the statewide contest sponsored by Georgia EMC. Applications are available from Carroll EMC.
The Selection of Delegates
A panel of judges (comprised of former Youth Tour chaperones and Youth Tour coordinators) will review the applications to select our finalists. Students who are chosen as finalists will be invited to an interview. The final selection of our delegates is determined by the combined scores of the application and interview process.
2022 Details
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there will be additional stipulations to attend this year’s Washington Youth Tour. 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. Georgia EMC will test delegates experiencing symptoms while on the tour. While on the tour, the group will follow local requirements related to wearing masks.
Additionally, if a delegate tests positive for COVID-19 while on the tour, their parent/guardian will be responsible for coordinating logistics and funding getting that delegate back home.
The trip will be from Thursday, June 16, through Friday, June 24, 2022. The deadline to apply is February 28, 2022.
Ask a Question
For more information, contact Ryan Sammon at 770-830-5727 or ryan.sammon@carrollemc.com.