Youth Tour

High school juniors and seniors compete for a chance to win an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. The students complete an application, essay questions and virtual interview. Students contest entries are reviewed by a panel of judges and winners are selected to represent South Plains Electric Cooperative.

To be eligible, applicants must reside in the Cooperative service area; participate in Operation Round Up; and attend a qualifying school. If you are not currently participating in Operation Round Up, we’ll automatically enroll you when you submit the scholarship application. The qualifying schools are: Abernathy, Anton, Aspermont, Childress, Chillicothe, Coronado, Cotton Center, Crosbyton, Crowell, Estacado, Floydada, Frenship, Guthrie, Hale Center, Idalou, Jayton-Girard, Lorenzo, Lubbock-Cooper, Lubbock, Monterey, Motley Co., New Deal, New Home, Olton, Paducah, Patton Springs, Petersburg, Plainview, Post, Quanah, Ralls, Roosevelt, Ropesville, Rotan, Shallowater, Slaton, Southland, Smyer, Spur and Wilson. If you are attending a private school, charter school or are home-schooled, your application will be subject to eligibility verification.

The Youth Tour brings more than 1,300 high school students to Washington, D.C., every year, and has since the early 1960s. More than 40,000 students from rural areas and small towns all over America have participated in this unique program. The students representing SPEC will join about 150 other Texas youth before heading out to Washington. The Texas contingency will be part of more than 1,600 young adults from across the nation participating in the annual Youth Tour.

Since 1965, South Plains Electric Cooperative has sent 250 students on this trip of a lifetime.

Students on the tour learn about electric cooperatives, American history and U.S. government. They visit with their Congressional representatives and and see the sights around Washington, D.C. To learn more, go to www.youthtour.coop.

For more information contact Jill Reece.