News

Five area high school juniors will participate in the 2023 Electric Cooperative Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., in June according to Brad Castor, President/CEO, Rich Mountain Electric Cooperative.

Castor announced that Shay Allen of Acorn High School, Baylee Carter of Dierks High School, Haley Carter of Dierks High School, Sydney Mounts of Dierks High School and Hayden Stephens of Dierks High School are winners of the application and interview contest to determine the cooperative’s representatives on the Youth Tour.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for the five youths,” Castor said. “The trip is all-expenses-paid and will include 47 youths from across Arkansas.”

From June 16-22, the students will visit the U.S. Capitol; the Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson monuments; war memorials like the Vietnam War Memorial, Arlington Cemetery and other sights in Washington, D.C. This visit will be a combination of education, history and fun in our nation’s capital.

In addition, the five delegates from Rich Mountain Electric Cooperative are eligible to compete to represent Arkansas on the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s (NRECA) Youth Leadership Council. Arkansas’ representative, selected in part by the chaperones and students, will attend NRECA’s national meeting and participate in a variety of other cooperative activities throughout the year.

Each of Arkansas’ 17 electric cooperatives will select representatives for the Youth Tour, primarily through essay and speech contests. Those winners will join approximately 2,000 youth from across the country in Washington, D.C., for the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour.

Rich Mountain Electric’s directors and management are happy to have this opportunity to enhance the educational experiences of local youth.