In June, public power districts and electric cooperatives across the U.S. sent groups of high school students to Washington, D.C., for the 2024 National Rural Electric Cooperative Youth Tour. Nebraska sent 17 students and two chaperones, representing Nebraska public power districts and electric cooperatives.
    While in D.C., Nebraska’s Youth Tour delegation visited many of the major monuments and memorials, including the Washington, Lincoln, and Jefferson Memorials. They also spent time on Capitol Hill, meeting with Senators Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts, and Congressman Adrian Smith.
    The students were inspired by extraordinary exhibits found in the Smithsonian Museums, including the Hope Diamond and the Wright Brothers’ 1903 Flyer. They also visited Gettysburg and Mount Vernon, as well as the National Holocaust Museum.
    The Youth Tour experience provides students with a chance to see history come to life; the tour also gives them an opportunity to connect with other student leaders just like them from across the country.
    Myles Bishop of Grant, Neb., was selected as Nebraska’s Youth Leadership Council member. He was sponsored by Midwest Electric Cooperative Corporation.
    Youth Tour is just one of the ways the Nebraska Rural Electric Association is investing in our future leaders. Nebraska’s public power districts and electric co-ops do so much more than provide safe, reliable and affordable power—we are dedicated to improving the futures of students in our community because we know they are next in line to lead the way.