Local Students Represent REC at NRECA Youth Tour 2026
Four high school students represented Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) during the exclusive National Rural Electric Cooperative Association's (NRECA) 2026 Youth Tour in Washington, D.C.
Noreen Ndonde of Albemarle County, Lincoln Stuart of Culpeper County, Maia Parks of Frederick County and Adrian Keyser of Spotsylvania County joined more than 1,800 students from across the nation for a fast-paced, educational week.
With a focus on leadership, civic engagement, U.S. history and the cooperative business model, students explored the nation's capital, built relationships with peers, received valuable behind-the-scenes access to our government in action, and learned more about how electric cooperatives serve their communities.
Read the full story here: Local Students Represent REC at NRECA Youth Tour 2026
Ready to Join Us for Youth Tour 2027?
Each year, students are selected from REC’s service territory to join the Virginia Maryland and Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives (VMDAEC) on a once in a lifetime tour of Washington, D.C. to attend the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association's (NRECA) Youth Tour.
Youth Tour is not just a trip. It is an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience that can change the way you see your future. This is your chance to stand where leaders have stood, see history up close, and imagine yourself making an impact
Are you a high school junior with big dreams and a passion for making a difference? If your family gets electricity from Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC), this opportunity is calling your name.
The application period for the 2026 Youth Tour (June 15-19, 2026) closed on January 31, 2026.
The next application period will open in September 2026 for the 2027 Youth Tour.
REC Youth Tour 2026 Information
VMDAEC Youth Tour Information | NRECA Youth Tour Information
QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUTH TOUR? Please email community@myrec.coop.
How Youth Tour Started: Youth Tour was inspired by Sen. Lyndon Baines Johnson when he addressed the NRECA Annual Meeting in 1957. The senator and future president declared, "If one thing goes out of this meeting, it will be sending youngsters to the national capital where they can actually see what the flag stands for and represents."
