Peace River Electric Cooperative > Community > Washington, D.C. Youth Tour

Washington, D.C. Youth Tour

Each year, PRECO sends two local high school juniors to represent the co-op on the prestigious “Washington, D.C. Youth Tour.”

Youth Tour brings more than 1,800 ambitious young people from across the country for an incredible week in the nation’s capital. Students discover American history, see how the U.S. political process works and learn about electric co-ops.

Participants are chosen through an essay contest in the spring of each year.

The Purpose of Youth Tour

  • 4 people stand with the Washington Monument in the backgroundEducates young people about rural electrification and provides a better understanding of the value of electric cooperatives
  • Students visit monuments, government buildings and cooperative-related organizations in order to become familiar with the historical and political environment of the nation’s capital
  • Provides an opportunity to meet elected officials in order to better understand how the federal government works

Youth Tour to Washington, D.C.

The annual Youth Tour to Washington DC is held each year in June. After arriving, students have very little time to rest — there’s so much to do!

Some of the sights typically include:

  • The White House
  • The U.S. Capitol
  • The U.S. Supreme Court
  • National Cathedral
  • Washington Memorial
  • The Holocaust Museum
  • Mount Vernon
  • The Smithsonian Museums
  • Lincoln Memorial
  • Arlington National Cemetery

Students don’t spend all of their time touring. Students also meet members of Congress from Florida, visit the headquarters of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, attend the Youth Day event and much more.

To apply for Youth Tour, you must be an 11th-grade student and your parent(s) must be member(s) of PRECO.

Learn more about the national Youth Tour program by visiting the YouthTour.coop. For more information about PRECO’s Youth Tour process, contact our Communications Department at communications@preco.coop.

Watch for the 2024 Youth Tour application to open in November 2023.