Isabella Smith of Ashland recently returned home following Youth Tour, an electric and telephone cooperative tradition spanning decades that sends students to Washington, D.C., for an unforgettable weeklong trip.

Isabella was selected as Menard Electric Cooperative’s ambassador as part of our scholarship program. She joined more than 2,000 students representing 44 states for the annual event.

Over the course of the week, students visited historic landmarks, including Gettysburg, Arlington National Cemetery and the U.S. Capitol, where they had the opportunity to meet U.S. Senator Dick Durbin. They also strolled the National Mall and explored the Smithsonian museums.

Midweek, students took part in the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Youth Day, where they joined hundreds of other teens from across the country to hear from national leaders and learn how to use their voices back home.

Central to the Youth Tour experience is the formation of a mock student-run cooperative called Chip ’n’ Pop Co-op. Students were all members and selected the co-op’s board of directors, who later interviewed and selected co-op employees, including Isabella as Secretary-Treasurer. 

Throughout the week, the co-op handled sales, decision-making and budgeting — giving participants a hands-on look at how cooperatives operate.

To learn more visit youthtour.coop or facebook.com/ILYouthTour.