Cody Norton of Buena Vista has earned a trip of a lifetime this summer – he will participate in the 2023 National Rural Electric Association Youth Tour in Washington, D.C. in June, sponsored by Sangre de Cristo Electric Association.

Norton, as student at Buena Vista High School, will represent his school, community and SDCEA on the tour. Norton will join about 30 other students representing electric cooperatives from around the state. Colorado Youth Tour participants begin the tour in Denver where they learn about Colorado’s state government and Colorado’s cooperatives. From Denver, they fly to Washington, D.C., where they attend educational seminars and visit with their representatives in the House and the Senate. Students also visit historic sites in Washington, D.C.: the Lincoln Memorial, Mount Vernon, Arlington Cemetery, and the Smithsonian, just to name a few.

Every June more than 1,800 high school students from towns and small cities in rural America spend a week in Washington D.C. as part of the National Rural Electric Youth Tour. The students are sponsored by electric cooperatives – cooperatives who are committed to educating America’s rural youth about America and the role electric cooperatives play in developing strong rural communities.

Colorado’s electric cooperatives send about 30 students to Washington, D.C. Students who participate on the tour learn about electric cooperatives, American history and U.S. government. The Colorado Rural Electric Association (CREA), in conjunction with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), organize the educational programs.

Participating in the Youth Tour is a great way to learn about this great nation, develop leadership skills, gain a better understanding of electric cooperatives, and make friendships with people from across the state and country.

This is an all-expenses paid trip and students are chosen to attend based on their application and an essay on why they would be a good candidate for the experience. Applications for the Youth Tour are available on SDCEA’s website myelectric.coop each year in early October. The deadline for application submissions is the beginning of January.

For more information contact SDCEA at 719-395-2412 or toll-free, 844-395-2412, or email communications@myelectric.coop.