Enter the 2026 Washington Youth Tour Essay Contest
Area high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors have the chance to win an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. next summer to participate in the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Electric Cooperative Youth Tour leadership program.
1 local winner will be among 1,500 high school students chosen from across the nation to tour Washington, D.C., in June 2026. The lucky winner will learn more about how government works, visit the Smithsonian Institute, Arlington National Cemetery, Capitol Hill, Mount Vernon, the FDR Memorial, the World War II Memorial, and more.
To qualify, a high school sophomore, junior, or senior’s primary residence in Plumas, Lassen, Sierra, or Washoe counties must be supplied with either electric power through Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative (PSREC) or Internet service through Plumas-Sierra Telecommunications.
An application form for the 2026 Washington Youth Tour is available at the cooperative office in Portola, as well as on our website.
Complete the application and submit a typed or legibly written essay. The topic for this year’s essay is: “Washington Youth Tour students have an opportunity to visit with their congressman or woman. As a member of an electric co-op, write an essay about the concerns and questions you would discuss with your representative. Explain why these are important issues to you.”
The essay should be no less than 500 words and no more than 1,000 words.
Essays will be judged on creativity and content (with consideration given to spelling and grammar) by the editorial staff of Ruralite magazine in Oregon.
Applications must be returned to PSREC by Friday, January 30, 2026.