Empowering the Next Generation: Why the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour Matters
Once in a while, I get a reminder of why electric cooperative work matters — not in the form of a balance sheet or a reliability report but in the faces of young people who are navigating the world they’re stepping into. For me, that reminder comes every summer with the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour.
If you’re not familiar with the program, here’s the short version: Each June, roughly 1,500 high school students representing electric cooperatives across the country travel to Washington, D.C., for an experience unlike anything most of them have ever had. They walk the halls of the Capitol, visit national monuments, meet with elected officials, and connect with hundreds of other students from rural communities just like theirs. It’s part civics lesson, part leadership development, and part life-changing experience — all rolled into one unforgettable week.
CREA has been proud to organize and facilitate this program for decades, and I want to take a moment to explain why we consider it one of the most worthwhile investments and partnerships with your local electric co-op.
Rural communities are often overlooked in political conversations both statewide and nationally. Our students know this better than anyone — they’ve grown up in places where Denver feels like a world away and where the assumption is sometimes that the big decisions get made somewhere else, by someone else. Youth Tour flips that narrative. It puts our young people right in the center of the action and says loudly and clearly: Your voice belongs here too.
From Lakewood to Washington, D.C.: A Week of Hands-on Learning
This year, Colorado’s Youth Tour delegates began their adventure at CREA headquarters in Lakewood. The students toured the Colorado State Capitol, heard about co-op careers, had a discussion with Youth Tour alumni, learned the basics about the cooperative business model, witnessed a high-voltage safety demonstration, tested their knowledge by building an electricity generation and transmission model, and so much more. They flew to D.C. the next morning and packed in just as much activity and learning every day during the week as they did on day one.
Students bring back more than just a collection of photos and souvenirs from D.C. They come home with confidence. They come home with a broader understanding of how our government works and how they can be part of shaping it. And they come home with a lifelong connection to peers from across the country who share their values and their rural roots.
Investing in Our Rural Colorado Communities
Your local electric cooperative exists to serve its members and to invest in the long-term health and vitality of your community. Supporting programs like the Youth Tour is a direct expression of that mission. Giving students a Youth Tour experience is one of the most impactful things we can do.
If you have a high school student in your household — or know one — I encourage you to look into your co-op’s Youth Tour application process. The opportunity to attend is absolutely worth it.
Tom Walch is the executive director of the Colorado Rural Electric Association, the statewide organization supporting 21 electric distribution cooperatives and one generation and transmission cooperative.