Senator Lyndon B. Johnson told NRECA members to send youth to D.C. to learn.
1958
An Iowa co-op sent 34 students on a weeklong trip to D.C.
1959
130 students from multiple states joined the tour.
YOUTH TOUR TODAY
1964 NRECA helped coordinate the first official Youth Tour Week with 400 students from 12 states.
More than 1,800 students travel from across the country to join a once-in-a-lifetime, week-long experience with visits to the Capitol, meetings with U.S. senators and reps, tours of federal agencies and unforgettable sights.
Since its start, nearly 100,000 students from small towns and rural areas have taken part. Some alumni have become senators, CEOs, engineers and even Capitol Hill staffers.
HOW IT HAPPENS
State Youth Tour directors begin planning the event.
NRECA hosts special events like Youth Day where students learn more about electric co-ops.
Students apply for the Youth Tour program through their local electric cooperative.
PROGRAM DATES
Please know that dates vary by state. Contact your local electric cooperative for exact program dates.
• June 14-23, 2025
Gaylord National Harbor National Harbor, Maryland
• June 14-21, 2026
Gaylord National Harbor National Harbor, Maryland
Scan to learn more and find your local electric cooperative and apply!
WHY APPLY?
Youth Tour BUILDS. Your resume. Your network. Your future. Join a group of driven student leaders from across the country and gain experiences that set you apart on applications, in interviews and beyond. Plus, experience a week full of firsts in our nation’s Capital, from first flights to first visits with elected officials. This isn’t just a trip—it’s your next big move.
For questions, please email Cale McCall, NRECA’s Youth Programs manager, at YouthPrograms@NRECA.coop
YOUTH PROGRAM ALUMNI
STAFF ASSISTANT PROGRAM
Can’t get enough of D.C. and NRECA’s Youth Programs? Return to D.C. as a staff assistant!
Benefits:
• Build leadership
• Practice public speaking and networking skills
• Mentor the next generation of delegates
• Work for a program you love
Requirements:
• Be an alumnus of the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour or the Youth Leadership Council.
• Wait two or more years from your Youth Tour year. (ex. if you attended Youth Tour in 2023, you can apply in 2025.
• Must be younger than 25 during the Youth Tour.
Applications are now open for the 2025 Youth Programs staff assistant. Applications are due by midnight ET on April 6, 2025.
For questions, please email Cale McCall, NRECA’s Youth Programs manager, at YouthPrograms@NRECA.coop
INTERNSHIPS IN THE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE INDUSTRY
NRECA Internships
12-week paid summer interships
Arlington, VA and Lincoln, NE offices
EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS
Industry Internship Applications open Februaryearly March
The Glenn English National Cooperative Leadership Foundation encourages educational advancement by awarding higher education scholarships to eligible students. Since its inception in 2014, the foundation has awarded over $100,000 in scholarships Applications open each year in the spring.
For internships at electric cooperatives or statewide associations nationwide, check out the Cooperative Career Center.
Scan to learn more and apply to these programs!
YOUTH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL
This 45-person delegation (one delegate per state with an electric cooperative or public power district) participates in an educational curriculum to build leadership and public speaking skills and enhance their knowledge of the energy industry and the cooperative business model.
PROGRAM DATES
(APPLICANTS MUST BE AVAILABLE FOR EACH PROGRAM)
June 14-23, 2025
YLC delegates are selected and announced during Youth Tour.
July 21-25, 2025
YLC delegates attend “Basecamp” training for a week to learn about their resources.
What to expect:
• Four days of workshops
• Meetings with NRECA’s leaders
• Team building activities
August 2025-February 2026
Delegates participate in monthly virtual “checkpoints” for leadership development trainings and work with their local co-ops to host projects and give speeches.
WHY APPLY?
The Youth Leadership Council is designed to elevate your leadership journey. You’ll sharpen your public speaking skills, dive into real-world leadership and connect with leaders from across the country. Plus, it’s a powerful way to boost your resume and make your voice heard in the electric co-op world and beyond.
If you’re ready to stand out and make an impact—this is your moment.
March 5-11, 2026
YLC delegates attend NRECA’s PowerXchange and TechAdvantage in Nashville, TN.
What to expect:
• Stage recognition for the year of service
• One delegate is chosen to serve as the national spokesperson and address cooperative leaders
• Hear inspiring keynote speakers, attend breakout sessions and explore the Expo floor
For more information on how to apply, please get in touch with your state’s Youth Tour director or email Cale McCall, NRECA’s Youth Programs manager, at YouthPrograms@NRECA.coop.
Scan to learn more and apply for this program!
YLC at NRECA PowerXchange & Techadvantage
2025’s National spokesperson
YLC with NRECA’s Board of Directors!
GLENN ENGLISH COOPERATIVE LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION
DATES AND DEADLINES
Since 2014, the Glenn English National Cooperative Leadership Foundation has awarded over $100,000 in scholarships to NRECA’s Electric Cooperative Youth Tour alumni. The foundation works to encourage educational advancement by awarding higher education scholarships to eligible students.
• The 2025 application cycle opens on March 3, 2025, and closes on May 4, 2025, at midnight ET. Winners are selected by our committee and announced after NRECA’s summer board meeting in mid-July 2025.
• Awards will be distributed in August/September 2025
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
To be considered for the Youth Tour Alumni Scholarship, you must meet each of the following requirements:
• Be a U.S. citizen.
• Be a former participant in NRECA’s Electric Cooperative Youth Tour program.
• Have received academic credits equal to at least one year of college.
• Have completed at least one semester at an accredited university or college as a fulltime student.
• Be enrolled as a full-time student at an accredited university or college by the application deadline.
• Be working on completing your first undergraduate degree.
• Immediate family members of any director, officer or employee of NRECA, RE Advisers Corp., NRECA International or the Foundation shall not be eligible to apply for or receive any scholarship offered by the Foundation. For eligibility purposes, an immediate family member shall be limited to an individual’s spouse, sibling, child, grandchild or great-grandchild.
Applicants are judged on the following:
• Cumulative GPA.
• Internships & work experience.
• Civic, volunteer and political activities.
• Leadership roles pursued and/or held.
• Involvement in cooperative-based programs and activities.
• A three to five minute video.
For questions, please email Cale McCall, NRECA’s Youth Programs manager, at YouthPrograms@NRECA.coop
Scan to learn more and apply for this scholarship!
