Aspen Farley, Macey Chambers, Grant Griffith and Johnathan Thomas represented First Electric Cooperative on the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas Youth Tour in Washington, D.C., in June.

“I truly enjoyed the trip to DC. Being able to see the foundations of our nation firsthand was incredible. It allowed me to appreciate even more what our forefathers have built for us and showed me the importance of preserving this nation for future generations. I am very thankful to have been able to go on this trip,” Johnathan said.

The Youth Tour experience is filled with fun activities, but its overall purpose is to increase students’ understanding of the value of rural electrification. Additionally, the students had the opportunity to visit monuments, historic sites and meet elected officials to increase the students’ knowledge of how the federal government works.

Macey said, “The 2024 Youth Tour was beyond imaginable! As someone who has always dreamed of visiting our nation’s capital, I am grateful for First Electric Cooperative for allowing me to visit! Every site we visited was phenomenal; however, I particularly enjoyed the Library of Congress. I was given the opportunity to not only explore Thomas Jefferson’s personal library, but officially became a member of the Library of Congress. The intricately painted ceilings were incredible to view, making it my favorite stop. The trip was not only educational but also lighthearted and fun! Trading pins very quickly became a big deal on the trip. Bartering with students from other states allowed me to converse with new people and extend my pin collection. However, my favorite memories were spent riding from place to place on our bus. Each day brought a new buddy to sit by, and I formed amazing relationships because of it. Our bus driver, Vincent, always made the rides enjoyable with his fun facts, and Mr. Lowery always made us laugh with his ill-timed dad jokes in his eagle hat. Again, I am beyond blessed to have been selected for the 2024 Youth Tour! Thank you, First Electric Cooperative!”

For more information on Youth Tour, visit firstelectric.coop/youth-tour.