The Rural Electric Youth Tour is a group of more than one thousand high school students who visit Washington, D.C. every June. They gather because the people who lead electric cooperatives believe education about electric cooperatives and America is important. Students on tour learn about electric cooperatives, American history, and U.S. government. They visit with their representatives in the House and the Senate. They see historical sites in and around Washington including the U.S. Capitol, the monuments, the Smithsonian, Arlington Cemetery, Mt. Vernon and countless other places. They also learn about the cooperative business model.
Lea County Electric is proud to join 38 states in sponsoring the annual Youth Tour. The delegates chosen receive an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. This includes round trip airfare, lodging, spending money and much more. The Government-In-Action Youth Tour will be held as follows:
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Texas delegates - June 16-21, 2025
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New Mexico delegates - June 15-22, 2025
Contest Rules and Requirements
To be eligible for the contest, the students must:
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Be a high school junior or senior.
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Be a dependent of an active Lea County Electric (LCEC) member and reside in our service territory.
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Submit the completed application and three short essays to LCEC by the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on Friday, October 6th, 2024.
Application Procedure
Applications will be considered when the following information has been received at Lea County Electric:
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Completed application.
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Parent or Guardian's current Lea County Electric account number provided on the application. (The account number will be printed on their most recent billing).
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Three completed short essays written on the suggested topics. Two essays are chosen by LCEC and are not limited to the number of words included. One essay is the applicant's choice of four suggested topics and is limited to 500 words.
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Return completed applications and essays (if not submitting online) to one of the following locations:
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Lea County Electric Cooperative, Inc.
1300 West Avenue D Lovington, New Mexico -
Lea County Electric Cooperative, Inc.
203 South Main Tatum, New Mexico -
Lea County Electric Cooperative, Inc.
1547 US Hwy 82 Plains, Texas -
All information in the application is strictly confidential. The LCEC Government-in-Action Youth Tour Selection Committee reserves the right to require verification of all information provided by the applicant if deemed necessary.
Click here to download the 2025 Youth Tour Application
The Lea County Electric 2025 Government-in-Action Youth Tour Application may be obtained from any LCEC office or High School Counsellor's office.
For more information, contact your high school counsellor or come by any LCEC office for an application.
