Two high school students from SLEMCO families will win a trip to the nation's capital via an essay contest.
The Electric Cooperative Youth Tour is an all-expense paid, week-long trip (June 13-20, 2026) to Washington, D.C., coordinated by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), Youth Tour Directors from statewide electric cooperative associations, and local electric cooperatives throughout the country like SLEMCO.
Hundreds of students make the trip to our nation’s capital after their junior year in high school to learn about Youth Tour values – leadership, civic engagement, cooperative membership, and community service.
Once in D.C., students are immersed in an intensive “crash-course” on civics, government, American history and the role and importance of electric cooperatives in American History.
SLEMCO winners will travel by bus with chaperones and winners from other Louisiana electric cooperatives to our nation’s capital, where they will gather and tour with students sponsored by other electric cooperatives from nearly every state around the country. There are typically 1,500 student participants each year.
For the 2026 Youth Tour, SLEMCO is sponsoring two students – one boy and one girl – whose parents must be current SLEMCO members.
An essay contest will determine the two winners, with all submissions considered by a SLEMCO-appointed panel of judges.
Deadline to Enter: February 20, 2026, 4:30 pm
For your essay, select an issue/challenge of personal interest or importance that affects your community and discuss how you think it can be solved and how you can be part of a solution to that challenge or issue.
To get more details about the contest, or to submit your essay, click here.
