Youth Tour 2024

By Katie Luckett, Manager of Marketing, Communications and Education

Choptank Electric Cooperative sponsored five local high school students this summer to attend Youth Tour in Washington, D.C.

The Electric Cooperative Youth Tour has brought high school students to our nation’s capital for a week in June annually since the late 1950s. This year over 2,000 participants from 44 states joined together to trade state pins and learn about the important roles electric cooperatives play in their communities.

Choptank’s students gained personal understanding of their roles as citizens by meeting with Rep. Andy Harris, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, staff from Sen. Ben Cardin’s office, and Gov. Wes Moore. They traveled with other cooperative students affiliated with the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives, visiting monuments and museums, a dinner cruise on the Potomac River, a Washington Nationals baseball game and Arlington National Cemetery. A total of 1,500 students all came together for Youth Day, where they met each other in a fun pep-rally format and heard featured speakers.

“It’s important for students to learn about the political process and interact with their elected officials,” said Mike Malandro, President and CEO of Choptank Electric Cooperative. “After Youth Tour, these individuals become more engaged community members and have memories and friendships that last a lifetime.”

William O’Donnell of Talbot County was selected to represent Maryland as the Youth Leadership Council representative. He will attend the NRECA Annual Meeting next year and work with Choptank Electric on community service projects.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that you won’t get every day. Everyone should take advantage of this opportunity and the amazing people you will get to meet."  - Aubrey Linder, Colonel Richardson High School

"I enjoyed seeing a lot of new places, especially the tour inside the Capitol building."  - Cameron Todd, Colonel Richardson High School

"My biggest takeaway from Youth Tour was understanding what Choptank Electric and other co-ops really do for our community."  - Corey Bunce, North Caroline High School

"My favorite part of Youth Tour was trading pins with the other 43 states because I got to meet a lot of new people that way."  - Taryn Brandt, North Caroline High School

"The biggest impact Youth Tour had on me was learning about the need for rural electrification and broadband across the United States."  - William O’Donnell, Easton High School

Click here for more information about our youth tour program.