Youth Tour

Teen encourages peers to apply for Youth Tour opportunity

Over the years, Capital Electric Cooperative

Clay, the son of Capital Electric members Tom and Lisa Feldner, checks out his reflection at the U.S. Air Force memorial.

has seen a steady decline in the number of teens who submit essays for the Rural Electric Youth Tour. Clay Feldner, the Capital Electric student who earned this year’s all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C., says it was definitely worth his time to write an essay on the assigned topic of his priorities if elected governor. When he learned the co-op received an insignificant amount of entries, he says he couldn’t believe more students didn’t jump at the opportunity to win a free trip.

“It was a great experience, and I want to thank Capital Electric for sending me,” he says. “It’s definitely a program the cooperative should continue.”

Clay flew to D.C. June 9-15 with 12 other teens representing electric distribution cooperatives across North Dakota. Those teens merged with 29 other students from Montana and Idaho. From sunrise to sunset, the youth tour participants took part in activities ranging from educational to social. They attended a production of Jesus Christ Superstar, an Andrew Lloyd Weber musical. They also cruised down the Potomac River at night, took a guided bus tour, and visited historic sites including the Jefferson Memorial and the White House.

The Capitol building impressed Clay the most.

“I always wondered what was in it,” he says.

“I saw the Senate chambers, and admired the dome, statues and architecture.”

While the students were at the Capitol, they heard N.D. Senator Byron Dorgan speaking on gas consumption, oil independence and the energy bill. Because of the senator’s speaking engagement, the students were unable to visit with him, although they did meet Rep. Earl Pomeroy and Sen. Kent Conrad.

The teens also toured the headquarters of NRECA, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. There they learned the cooperative history and philosophy of people working together to accomplish something they could not do individually.

From learning co-op history to riding the Metro to staying overnight at the Hiatt, Clay says the entire trip was impressive. Well, almost everything. He says he could have passed on the zoo tour.

“We have so much wildlife here in North Dakota. They have cows in their zoo, which of course we never see here,” Clay says with a laugh.

Even though he traveled a long way to see a cow, Clay says he definitely appreciated the trip.

“It was an entire week of visiting just about every site I’d ever heard of in Washington, D.C.,” he says.

“I’m going to remember it forever.”

Parents, this fall Capital Electric Cooperative will once again sponsor the Rural Electric Youth Tour essay contest. We need your help! If you will have a junior or senior in high school, please encourage your son or daughter to write and submit an essay! Your teen just might earn a free trip to Washington, D.C. in 2008.

Learn More at the Youth Tour Website

Youth Tour

Teen encourages peers to apply for Youth Tour opportunity

Prior Youth Tour Representatives: