Southwest Arkansas Electic REA to Sponsor Washington, D.C. Trip

Up to two high school juniors from the Southwest Arkansas Electric REA service area will have an opportunity to win an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D. C., in June, according to Wayne Whitaker, the Cooperative’s President & CEO. Whitaker said the winners of an essay contest would participate in the June 10-18 trip, which is part of the National Rural Electric Youth Tour. To be eligible to win the trip, the students must be a high school junior, enrolled in a local high school and the students’ family must be a member of the Electric Cooperative.

Contest entrants will be required to submit a 500 word essay on “Discuss the Top Five Greatest Engineering Achievements in the United States During the 20th Century. And, Explain Which Engineering Achievement Affects Your Life the Most.” Essays will be judged on the basis of knowledge of the subject, originality, composition, neatness and grammar.

Deadline for submitting essays will be March 27.

This is the 25th year the local Cooperative has sponsored the Washington trip.

In Washington, the group will be part of a group of 1,500 youth from 37 states. Activities will include a visit to numerous national monuments, the Smithsonian Institute, sites of historical interest, plus special programs developed by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), the national organization of electric cooperatives that coordinates the Youth Tour.

Youth who are eligible for the Youth Tour should contact Kelly or Catherine at Southwest Arkansas Electric REA, 870-772-2743, for additional information. To learn more about the Youth Tour, visit youthtour.coop.