Deaf Smith Electric Cooperative Government-in-Action Youth Tour

Each year since the early 1960s, the Youth Tour has brought over 1,500 high school students to Washington, D.C., for an unforgettable educational experience. To date, more than 40,000 students from rural communities and small towns across America have taken part in this one-of-a-kind program. This year, students selected by DSEC will join roughly 150 other teens from across Texas before traveling to the nation’s capital. Together, they’ll be part of a national delegation of more than 1,700 young people participating in the annual Youth Tour.

The tradition began in 1965 when Texas electric cooperatives—motivated by then-Senator Lyndon B. Johnson’s call for young people to visit Washington and witness democracy in action—started sponsoring students for the trip. Supporting youth education and leadership has long aligned with the cooperative mission of empowering and uplifting the communities they serve. In addition to providing power to homes and businesses across Texas, co-ops are deeply committed to investing in the next generation.

During the Youth Tour, students explore the role of electric cooperatives, dive into U.S. history and government, meet their congressional representatives, and tour the many iconic sights of Washington, D.C.

For more details, visit www.texasyouthtour.com.

Note: Applications for the 2025 tour are now closed.