Local students represent McDonough Power and McDonough Telephone during the nationwide Youth to Washington Tour

What do you get when 71 students from 27 Illinois electric and telephone cooperatives join more than 1,800 of their peers across the United States? You get the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) Youth to Washington Tour.

Six local students were selected from a diverse group of applicants to represent McDonough Power Cooperative and McDonough Telephone Cooperative to enjoy an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. from June 8-15 as part of the annual Youth Tour.

The 2018 Youth Tour delegates from McDonough Power included Charlie Hensley of Bushnell and Meagan Jackson of Macomb. McDonough Telephone was represented by Gibby Blankenship of Macomb, Anderson Poulter of Good Hope, Meadow Boden and Emma Bradford of Bushnell. Boden was this year’s Rep. Rich Myers Memorial Youth Tour recipient.

Pictured from left – Charlie Hensley, Emma Bradford, Anderson Poulter, Congressman Darin LaHood, Meadow Boden, Meagan Jackson and Gibby Blankenship.

The students toured Capitol Hill and met with U.S. Senator Dick Durbin and Congressman Darin LaHood. They also visited historical and cultural sites including Arlington National Cemetery, the Supreme Court, Newseum, Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, a variety of memorials and the U.S. Capitol. Among fun activities the students enjoyed were the Marine Corps Sunset Parade, the Smithsonian Museums and an assembly of Youth Tour participants from across the nation.

“Youth Tour is a great opportunity that changes these students’ lives,” says Mike Smith, president/CEO of McDonough Power. “This experience helps prepare them for their futures.”

“After touring our nation’s capital, meeting congressional representatives and learning firsthand how our government works, they return home with valuable knowledge and memories that will last a lifetime,” says Jay Griswold, president of McDonough Telephone.

Since 1964, the nation’s cooperative electric and telephone utilities have sponsored more than 60,000 high school students to visit Washington, D.C. To learn more about the Youth to Washington Tour, go to www.youthtour.coop.