Youth Tour 2012

Photo: 
From left are Rachel Kerr, Hannah Garrels, Congressman Bobby Schilling and Allison Groves.

Hannah Garrels of Walshville, Allison Groves of Atwater, and Rachel Kerr of Modesto represented M.J.M. Electric Cooperative in Washington, D.C., during the annual “Youth to Washington” Tour, June 15-22. This event, sponsored by the electric and telephone cooperatives of Illinois since the late 1950s, is an introduction to our democratic form of government and cooperatives for rural youth.

The students met with Congressman Bobby Schilling and were among 75 rural Illinois youth leaders selected for the trip. The Illinois students joined more than 1,500 young leaders from across the country.

“The Youth Tour was an amazing trip!” enthused Allison Groves, a student at Carlinville High School. “The Youth Tour does a very good job of introducing you to the atmosphere and history of Washington D.C. Interacting and meeting kids from other states was interesting and fun as well.”

In addition to the Capitol, they visited Arlington National Cemetery, the Washington National Cathedral, several Smithsonian Museums, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the World War II Memorial, memorials to Presidents Lincoln, Jefferson, Washington and Roosevelt, the National Archives, the Newseum and a number of other historical sites.

To find out more about the tour, go to www.youthtour.coop or www.facebook.com/ILYouthtoWashington.