In a typical summer, students from REC's service territory travel to Washington, D.C., where they join their peers from across the country to explore key issues in the electric industry, study the cooperative business model, tour historical and cultural sites, meet their members of Congress and attend a show at the Kennedy Center. The event is hosted by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA).
While the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the Washington, D.C., Youth Tour in 2020 and 2021, REC worked with four other electric cooperatives to plan a modified Youth Tour for students this year in Williamsburg.
Ten students from across Virginia and Maryland attended, including Natalee Coates, a Madison County High School junior. Coates and her fellow Youth Tour attendees got an in-depth tour of the historic area, learned about the cooperative business model and got to discuss the legislative process with Delegates Jay Jones (VA-89) and Emily Brewer (VA-64).
The interactive tours included Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown Settlement and the Army Transportation Museum, as well as fun excursions like a York River cruise on the schooner “Alliance” and a fun evening at Busch Gardens.
“I had a great time on REC’s Youth Tour,” said Coates. “My favorite part was speaking with Delegates Jay Jones and Emily Brewer. They were amazing to speak with and I learned so much from them.”
Brian Wolfe, REC’s senior public relations specialist, said the co-ops worked together to plan a different kind of trip for this year.
“We worked closely with Shenandoah Electric, Choptank Electric, Community Electric, and Mecklenburg Electric to provide our local high school students with a fun and educational Youth Tour experience in a safe and thoughtful format,” Wolfe said.
