Jordan “Drake” Murray (left) and Keith Boyd.
Each year, BEMC sends two rising juniors or seniors on an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., where they join more than 1,800 exceptional high school students from across the country on the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour. Applications are available at bemc.org beginning Dec. 1, 2023, and the deadline to apply is Jan. 15, 2024. Sophomores and Juniors with a minimum GPA of 3.0 are encouraged to apply.
Keith Boyd and Jordan “Drake” Murray attended the 2023 Youth Tour and were in Washington, D.C., from June 17–23. Here’s what the rising South Columbus High School seniors thought about the experience:
“I had never been to DC before and had no idea it was so massive. The trip was absolutely wonderful, we saw so many memorials and historical sites. The Museum of the Bible was my favorite. We got to meet with Reps. Rouzer, Edwards and Ross and ask them questions. I left feeling that they work harder than a lot of people imagine, and their job is much more complicated than people give them credit for.
“One of the unexpectedly great parts was meeting other students from around the country. We all had pins that were unique to our states, and we swapped them while making friends. Our North Carolina pin has Krispy Kreme and boiled peanuts on it. I’m still in touch with some of the kids, and will continue to be, I am sure. I learned so much on this trip, it was really a once in a lifetime experience.” — Jordan “Drake” Murray
“Actually, at first, I was having second doubts about going. I had never been that far away from home without family and thought maybe I would be homesick. Instead, I was 100% happy, it was great! I would have stayed for another week. We saw so much, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but probably the Washington Monument. You can see it from everywhere, it’s very cool.
“I loved meeting the other students too. Everyone was so different, but we found things that we could relate to. Kids from Texas would tell us about tornadoes, we’d talk about our experiences with hurricanes, and Californians would share stories about flooding. I would never have had the chance to meet high schoolers from all over. I highly recommend the Youth Tour, and already have, to some other students. It’s a great way to expand your horizons.” — Keith Boyd
