This summer, North Carolina’s electric cooperatives sent 44 exceptional high school students to represent their communities in Washington D.C. on the 2025 Electric Cooperative Youth Tour. Included in this group were two rising seniors from Cape Hatteras Secondary School – Hunter Ferguson and Michael ‘Mikie’ Gavetti. Hunter and Mikie earned the opportunity to attend after completing an application including an essay about the cooperative.

The North Carolina delegates joined more than 1,800 students from across country to explore monuments, museums and historic sites.

“I really enjoyed getting the chance to travel, visit our nation’s capital and make new friends,” said Hunter. “I enjoyed the visit to the National Cathedral because of the interesting architecture.”

The students also spent time on Capitol Hill, touring the U.S. Capitol and meeting with staff from North Carolina’s congressional delegation. There, they discussed civic engagement and careers in public service while gaining a first-hand look at how our government works.

“My favorite part was that I was able to tour a place with new people, and I was able to make some friends,” said Mikie. “I learned to be more dependent on myself, making me want to gear myself up to start making college decisions.”

Youth programs like the annual trip to D.C. are part of our mission to build a brighter future for the communities we serve. By providing opportunities like these, students can see the possibilities that lie ahead. High school juniors who are interested in applying for next summer’s Youth Tour can find the application at chec.coop/youthtour starting October 1.