Youth Tour Winners Receive Scholarships in Lieu of Trip to Washington, D.C.

The effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic continue to be felt as the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) canceled all activities through Aug. 31 — including the annual Youth Tour.

“We, as well as the much-deserving winners, are devastated they won’t get to experience the trip to Washington, D.C. this summer,” said Todd Minshall, KEC member services director. “While there is no substitute for the knowledge gained and the friendships formed during Youth Tour, we do hope these scholarships will help ease their disappointment.”

In lieu of the annual all-expenses-paid trip to the nation’s capital, KEC is awarding the three exceptional youth, pictured above — Cheyenne Patzack, Christian Gockel and Dulcie McLane — a $2,000 scholarship.

Each year, KEC awards three local high school juniors a week-long, all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. as part of the Oklahoma Youth Tour. High school students who have won similar competitions at our 20+ sister co-ops around the state also attend Youth Tour, where youth from across the nation join to tour historic sites and national monuments, visit with their state’s Congressional delegation and make memories that will last a lifetime.

Visit the Oklahoma Youth Tour Facebook Page to honor all the outstanding students who will miss out on this year’s trip.

Christian Gockel

Cheyenne Patzack

Dulcie McLane