OCR Text |
Show Boulder Girl Back From National Meet BOULDER Natalie Coomt, of Boulder returned from her recer-trip recer-trip to Washington, D.C., wheij1 she represented Garkane Power aJ sociation. June 1988 marked the 25th m niversary of a program througi which local rural electric utiliiic- like Garkane Power Associat have sent students from rural hiji schools to Washington, D.C., , see firsthand how their nation government works. j Since 1964, the Rural Elects' Youth Tour has brought aboc 1,000 rural students a year to ft nation's capital where they spend week meeting with congressioni leaders, visiting the White Hou touring the city's historical monj ments, attending educational sen,' nars and getting to know studcn from other parts of the country, f Local rural electric cooperative sponsor these students in the annt tour coordinated by stale rural elec trie organizations and by the N tional Rural Electric Cooperatiy Association (NRECA), the Wasl ington, D.C.-based service org zation for the nation's 1,000 cor sumer-owned, nonprofit rural elec trie systems. This year 1,168 high schoc students from rural electric systetr. in 38 states gathered in Washings June 11-16 for the 25th NREO Youth Tour. They heard address by Rep. Dennis E. Eckart (D Ohio); Rep. Don Sundquist (R Tenn.); and Richard E. Marriot vice chairman and executive vit president of the Marriott Corp who acknowledged the Youi: Tour's 25 years at the Marrio: Twin Bridges Hotel in Arlingtor Va. "It's a dramatic thing for us t see Washington in person. It's lik: stepping into a television set," si: Miss Coombs. "And just meetir: other students is an important par of the week. The friendships v: make on the Youth Tour are; tremendous experience at this poi: in our lives." Bob Bergland, NRECA executi vice president and general manag" who also spoke to the group, sa: "The Youth Tour is one of t! most profoundly worthwhile ever: that rural electric people are ii volved in. If longevity is any me; sure of success and value, Youth Tour is a winner it's nc older than the young people t participate," Bergland applauded the Yoi: Tour program for helping run electric systems and the communities. I i "Over the years the Youth To: has added 25,000 ambassadors: the rural electric program, and adds another 1,000 every year.'J said. "The Youth Tour is one of: best investments any rural elect co-op can make in the future of t country as well as the future of r ral electrification." |