FPU TAKES LOCAL STUDENTS TO WASHINGTON, D.C.
Three students from Lincoln County got the opportunity of a lifetime to spend a week in the nation’s capital as delegates of the 2024 Washington Youth Tour. Erica Cox of Fayetteville High School, Anneliese Collins of Lincoln County High School and Brooklyn Billings of Riverside Christian Academy were among 139 students from across Tennessee on the weeklong trip that began on Friday, June 14.
This annual event is sponsored by Fayetteville Public Utilities (FPU) and the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association (TECA). The students were selected for the trip by writing a short story titled “Co-ops Connect” that explains how local utilities connect Tennessee communities with energy, education, broadband, economic development and more.
FPU CEO/General Manager Britt Dye commented, “Sending these students from Lincoln County on a trip of a lifetime to Washington, D.C., is a highlight for FPU each year. This year’s delegates represented FPU well at our nation’s capital and returned home with the knowledge and leadership skills to become future leaders in our community.”
“This was the best trip I have ever been on,” remarked Erica Cox, Youth Tour delegate. “I learned so much and made unforgettable friends and memories. I want to thank FPU and TECA for the amazing opportunity!”
The Washington Youth Tour’s nonstop, seven-day itinerary is jam-packed with places to visit and experiences to give the Youth Tour delegates a trip that they will never forget. Highlights included exploring memorials around the city, visiting museums at the Smithsonian Institute, touring Washington’s Mount Vernon and Jefferson’s Monticello and taking a trip to Arlington National Cemetery. Delegates also got to see Washington, D.C., staples like the U.S. Capitol and the Washington National Cathedral.
Each year, four Washington Youth Tour delegates honor U.S. veterans and members of the armed forces by laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. FPU delegate Anneliese Collins was selected by local veterans to take part in this year’s wreath-laying ceremony along with three fellow Tennessee Youth Tour delegates.
“The Washington Youth Tour is more than just a trip,” said Todd Blocker, vice president of member services for TECA and tour director. “Transformative. Unforgettable. Life-changing. Whether the trip cultivates a love for history, leadership or active citizenship, we are empowering young minds to shape the future. Seeing the impact the trip has had on many over the years is awe-inspiring."
While in D.C., winners were announced in the statewide competition for the Robert McCarty Memorial Scholarships. Charlsie Strech from Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative, Elijah Jones from Appalachian Electric Cooperative and Ayden Anderson from Gibson Electric Membership Corporation were awarded $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000 Robert McCarty Memorial Scholarships for having the first, second and third place short stories of the thousands submitted across the state for this year’s contest. The scholarships are named in memory of Robert McCarty, an employee of Volunteer Energy Cooperative and longtime chaperone on the annual Youth Tour.
Yuridia Garcia, a senior from Appalachian Electric Cooperative, was awarded a $10,000 Cooperative Youth Ambassador Scholarship. Garcia was a 2023 delegate on the Washington Youth Tour. Delegates who remain engaged with their sponsoring utility during their senior year and complete certain community service requirements are eligible for the scholarship. Garcia’s name was randomly selected among the delegates from across the state who completed the requirements.
“An investment in the Washington Youth Tour delegates today is also an investment in the future of communities across Tennessee,” said Mike Knotts, CEO of TECA. “The future is bright for this group of Youth Tour delegates. We are honored to be a part of supporting their academic journeys and look forward to seeing what the future has in store for them and the impact they will have on their communities.”
President Lyndon B. Johnson inspired the Washington Youth Tour in 1957 when he encouraged local utilities to send students to the nation’s capital. Since then, more than 6,000 young Tennesseans have participated in the Washington Youth Tour as delegates.
The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association provides leadership, advocacy and support for Tennessee’s 23 local utilities and publishes The Tennessee Magazine, the state’s most widely circulated periodical. Visit tnelectric.org or tnmagazine.org to learn more.