Enter your essay today
High school sophomores and juniors whose parents are electric co-op members can win a free trip to Washington, D.C., to learn about history and our nation just by writing an essay (students in Ravalli Electric Cooperative’s service area do not need to be co-op members).
This past summer, 29 students from across the state took part in the NRECA Electric Cooperative Youth Tour to Washington, D.C. Montana’s electric cooperatives are hoping to send even more students at NO COST TO THEM in 2027.
Contact your electric cooperative for its specific requirements, but for most co-ops, a simple application and short essay is all that is required. From there, each participating co-op will choose at least one winner, and a statewide winner will be chosen as well.
This year’s essay topic is: If you could build a monument in Washington, D.C., who would you honor and why?
Please note that all submissions will be run through AI detection software, and the results may impact eligibility.
Those students who are selected by their co-ops will travel to D.C. June 17-24 for a week of activities. Every Montana Electric Cooperative Youth Tour includes meetings with Montana’s U.S. senators and representatives, as well as seeing many of the famous monuments and memorials, and the Smithsonian Museums. Past Youth Tours have also included a Washington Nationals baseball game, the International Spy Museum, a river boat cruise, Ford’s Theater, the Gettysburg Battlefield, the U.S. Naval Academy, the Marine Corps Museum, a meal at the famous Ben’s Chili Bowl and countless other stops and attractions.
Contact your local electric cooperative today, and start work on that essay! Visit www.mtco-ops.com/youthtour for more information.