Covington Electric Cooperative recently sponsored two juniors from each high school within its service area to attend the 2019 Montgomery Youth Tour on March 12-14. Students were selected last fall through an essay competition at their schools.

The CEC Youth Tour participants joined approximately 150 students from across the state on the Montgomery Youth Tour that included tours of the Alabama State Capitol, Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, Alabama Department of Archives and History, and the Alabama State House. The trip also included team-building activities with renowned motivational speaker Cea Cohen-Elliot and a Q & A session with several legislators at the State House.

CEC’s Montgomery Youth Tour participants competed on March 21, for two slots on the National Rural Electric Youth Tour in Washington, D.C., which will take place in June. The competition included a test on co-op history and facts, as well as an interview. Haley Lewis, a junior at Straughn High School and Riley Chen, a junior at Pleasant Home School, were selected to attend the Washington Youth Tour this summer. Madeline Pugh, a junior at Straughn High School, was selected as first alternate and Calli Dean, a junior at Kinston School, was selected as second alternate.

“It’s hard to convey what a great opportunity the Youth Tour program is for these students,” says Patty S. Seay, CEC’s youth tour coordinator. “We have so many kids that are inspired to get out of their comfort zones and make a positive change in the world around them after going through this program. It’s remarkable to see their confidence grow in only three days, but it happens every year. I’m so glad that CEC continues to support this great program for students in our area,” she added.

The purpose of the Youth Tour is to inform young people about how cooperatives benefit their members, to learn about government and history, to enhance leadership skills, and to meet other young people from across the state and nation while visiting historical sites and landmarks.