Washington D.C. Youth Tour Application

Every generation leaves behind a legacy, footprints that shape the future. The Electric Cooperative Youth Tour is your chance to do the same. For over 60 years, electric cooperatives have sent high school students to Washington, D.C., to discover their voice, step into history and begin writing the story only they can tell.

This once-in-a-lifetime experience isn’t just about seeing the nation’s capital. It’s about preparing students to lead, to grow and to make their mark on the world.

Southeastern Electric Cooperative will once again sponsor high school (juniors and seniors) on an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. Each June, over 1,500 high school juniors and seniors travel to Washington, D.C., to participate in the  Electric Cooperative Youth Tour. Throughout the week, participants will explore Washington, D.C., learning about government, cooperative philosophy and rural electrification. The students are selected and sponsored by their local rural electric cooperatives with the South Dakota Rural Electric Association (SDREA) coordinating the trip for South Dakota students.

Tour Highlights: The Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, U.S. Capitol, Ford’s Theatre, Arlington National Cemetery, Mount Vernon, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Iwo Jima Statue, National Archives, U.S Supreme Court, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial among other exciting sites. Students will also participate in a briefing with the South Dakota Congressional Delegation and a river boat cruise across the Potomac River.

Who is Eligible? All area high school juniors and seniors whose parents or guardians are members of Southeastern Electric Cooperative.

What Does It Cost? Southeastern Electric, along with the other participating local electric cooperatives fully fund the tour. The tour covers each participant’s transportation, accommodations, meals, entertainment, and sightseeing events. Students are required to provide their spending money (for snacks, souvenirs, etc.).

When is it Held? The weeklong trip will take place from June 17-23, 2027. Participants will meet for an orientation meeting on Thursday, June 17 at the Sioux Valley Energy Office in Brandon, S.D. and then bus to Minneapolis. The next morning the group will fly to D.C., explore the nation’s capital for five days, and then return to South Dakota on Wednesday, June 23. A commercial bus will be used for transportation while in D.C.

How do I Qualify? Each entrant must submit a letter of recommendation (from a teacher, counselor, or employer), a resume describing your current extracurricular involvement, community volunteerism and future endeavors, and an essay, not to exceed 500 words, on the following topic:

What moment in American history do you wish you had been a part of, and what would you have contributed so you could “make your mark”?

Please complete the online form and submit your resume, essay, and a letter of recommendation from a teacher, counselor, or employer below.

Deadline to apply is December 6, 2026.