Julia Rouse

This summer I had the privilege of representing Tideland EMC during the 2024 Electric Cooperative Youth Tour in our nation's capital. I had a phenomenal week in Washington, D.C., learning more about both our government and the cooperative business model. I also appreciated the opportunities to make friends with people from across North Carolina and many other states. When you spend a whole week with the same 40 or so people, you get to know them better and make fun memories with them, and I know that I will stay in contact with those people even after the Youth Tour.

On the Youth Tour, I visited many monuments and museums in Washington, D.C. I went to the American Museum of Natural History, the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, and the National Cathedral, to name a few. I really enjoyed visiting these places and built a deeper appreciation for our nation's history and capital. On one of the days, the group from North Carolina visited the Capitol building and toured it before having lunch with two staffers for the North Caorlina senators. We were able to ask them questions and understand what their job looks like, and after hearing how their careers unfolded, I can admit my interest in pursuing an internship in Washington, D.C., after college.

During my visit, I was also fortunate enough to talk with my advistors and get to know them better. I appreciated everything they did before the trip and during the trip to make it run smoothly. They put a lot of hard work into planning the trip and being a part of the trip. I am thankful for them as well as Tideland EMC for allowing me to go on this trip to represent them. I would recommend and encourage high school sophomores and juniors to apply for the 2025 Electric Cooperative Youth Tour.