This summer, North Carolina’s electric cooperatives sent 43 exceptional high school students to represent their communities in Washington D.C. on the 2023 Electric Cooperative Youth Tour.

From June 17-23, the North Carolina delegates joined more than 1,800 students from across the country to explore historic monuments and museums, meet elected officials at the U.S. Capitol, participate in networking events, and learn about our nation’s history and the importance of civic engagement. The tourists also experienced the cooperative difference first hand by running their own snack and beverage co-op for the duration of the trip.

Dominic Caputo of Rodanthe, represented CHEC on this year’s trip. He earned the opportunity to attend after completing an application including an essay about the cooperative. Dominic is a rising senior at Cape Hatteras Secondary School.

The Electric Cooperative Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., is a tradition more than 50 years strong. The tour is hosted annually by electric cooperatives nationwide and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Applications for the 2024 Youth Tour will be available at chec.coop/youthtour on October 1, 2023.