Smith Selected to Participate in the Nebraska Rural Electric Association Youth Tour to Washington, D.C.

On Friday, June 15, chaperones from the Nebraska Rural Electric Association (NREA), along with 19 high school students from across Nebraska returned from its annual Youth Tour of our Nation's Capital. Theodore Smith of Sidney was sponsored by Wheat Belt Public Power District to attend the seven-day tour with other youth from across Rural Nebraska.

Each year the NREA hosts the Tour providing rural high school students, representing their public power districts and electric cooperatives, the opportunity to see the sites of our Nation's Capital first-hand. While on the Tour, students visited Gettysburg Battlefield, Mount Vernon, Arlington National Cemetery, and numerous historical sites and monuments around Washington, D.C. Theodore, along with the other Nebraska youth, also met with members of the Nebraska Congressional delegation and came together with 1,800 other rural high school students from across America for the annual National Rural Electric Cooperative Youth Day where they learned about political engagement, leadership, and the pressing issues facing the electric industry today.

James Dukesherer, Youth Tour Director, stated: "Most of the rural students that we take on the Youth Tour have never been to Washington, D.C. and would not have had an opportunity like this if not for the NREA Youth Tour program and the sponsorship of the participating electric cooperatives and public power districts. Youth Tour is a unique opportunity for these students to see first-hand our democratic government in action while at the same time visiting some of our Nation's most historic sites."

To be selected for Youth Tour, students must first attend the NREA Youth Energy Leadership Camp. This is a week-long leadership camp for rural youth held in Halsey, Ne., every July.