One-hundred and two high school students participated in the 54th annual Missouri Electric Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., June 9-15. Area delegates were Audrey Hahn, Moscow Mills; Chloe Momphard, Troy; Ben Mertens, Warrenton; Brendan Heslin, Defiance; Alishia Curry, Frankford, and Jane Zuroweste, Truxton. They were sponsored by Cuivre River Electric Cooperative, Troy.During the trip Momphard, who will be entering her senior year at Troy Buchanan High School, was selected as Missouri’s representative to the NRECA Youth Leadership Council. As Missouri’s rep, she will travel back to Washington, D.C., in July to learn more about cooperatives, will attend NRECA’s annual meeting in Nashville next spring and have several other speaking opportunities throughout the year to help promote cooperatives. Momphard is the first youth tour delegate from Cuivre River Electric to achieve this honor.The seven-day youth tour provides an action-filled week for high school students, offering them opportunities to learn firsthand what it is like to be involved in politics, leadership positions, community service and today’s pressing issues.“The youth tour is the highlight of the summer for many students and we’re proud to send our best and brightest to Washington, D.C., this year to participate,” said Mike Marsch, director of member services for the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives in Jefferson City.Missouri’s youth tour delegates visited with representatives from their congressional districts and toured famous monuments, the Smithsonian Institution’s museums and Arlington National Cemetery. The group also attended a performance of “The Sound of Music” at the Kennedy Center and took a sightseeing and dance cruise on the Potomac River one evening with delegates from other states.Other events of the week included participation in the Electric Youth Day, during which a special program coordinated by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association brought together a record 1,800 youth tour delegates from across the United States.The delegates enjoyed speeches by government leaders and motivational speakers, such as Mike Schlappi, an inspiring four-time Paralympic medalist and two-time world wheelchair basketball champion.Since 1964, Cuivre River has sponsored over 200 youth tour delegates for visits to Washington, D.C. More than 53,000 high school juniors and seniors sponsored by the nation’s electric cooperatives have participated in the youth tour since the educational leadership program began.Cuivre River Electric Cooperative is the largest member-owned electric distribution cooperative in Missouri. It provides service to more than 63,500 residential, business, commercial, industrial and agricultural members in Lincoln, Pike, St. Charles and Warren counties.For more information on the youth tour program visit www.cuivre.com or call 800-392-3709 extension 4837.Cuivre River Electric Cooperative sponsored six students to attend the National Youth Tour Conference June 9-15 in Washington, D.C. Pictured, from left, standing in front of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., are Audrey Hahn, Moscow Mills; Chloe Momphard, Troy; Ben Mertens, Warrenton; Brenad Heslin, Defiance; Alishia Curry, Bowling Green; and Jane Zuroweste, Truxton. Submitted photo.
