2023 Youth Tour Applicants Visit Florida’s Capital

Each year Tri-County Electric Cooperative sponsors several juniors from area high schools to attend the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour in Washington, DC. All applicants spend two days getting to know each other, learn about electric cooperatives, completing an in-person interview, tour the capitol building in Tallahassee, meet their local House and Senate Representatives and more. This year’s applicants: Laney Kate Cruce, Alex Inherst, Gracie Jenkins, Calli Knight, Jailyn Cooks, Trey Galbraith, and Abigail Saltares visited Mission San Luis for a deep dive into Apalachee and Spanish history in Florida.

During their visit to the Supreme court, they participated in a mock trial. While at the House and Senate Chambers they immersed themselves in our state government policy and participated in a mock session. Speaker Renner and his Chief of Staff, as well as Senator Corey Simon addressed all the Florida Youth Tour applicants about their role in government.

Representative Jason Shoaf, took time out of his busy schedule to meet with the students from his district, answer their questions, and take a few photos.

In addition to their application and essay, this experience helps determine who will be invited to Washington, DC to represent the co-op on the Youth Tour in June.

The Youth Tour is more than an all-expense paid trip to the nation’s capital to sight-see. It is a prestigious event in which thousands of high school juniors from across the nation join together to gain an understanding of our nation’s history and the freedoms we enjoy, as well as the many costs of those freedoms. The experience is rewarding, educational and fun! Students will tour memorials, museums, and national landmarks that they may have only read about in history books.

We believe by investing in today’s youth, we are investing in our, and your, future. We know that some of the brightest and best students live right here in North Florida and we want to give them an opportunity to experience the past, present and future of our country. For many students, it will inspire a future in government or political science or their local cooperative. Visit www.tcec.com/youth-tour for more information. Annually applications become available in October and are due in January. Any High School Junior whose parents or grandparents are TCEC members, are eligible to apply!

Laney Kate Cruce, Gracie Jenkins, Calli Knight, Jailyn Cooks, Trey Galbraith have been selected to participate in the 2023 Youth Tour, June 13th-18th. Congratulations! *Trey Galbraith is unable to attend due to a prior commitment with FFA. We are proud of him and wish him the best of luck at the FFA Convention, where he will serve as the captain of his debate team!