Write a Winning Essay and Win A Trip of a Lifetime to Washington. D.C.
June 14-June 20, 2026
To enter the essay-writing contest, you must:
- Write a winning essay by January 16, 2026
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Be enrolled as a high school sophomore or junior.
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You and your parents or guardian must be served by McLean Electric Cooperative.
- The essay is not to exceed two standard 8½ x 11-inch typewritten, double-spaced pages on this topic:
Essay Question:
As member-owned organizations, electric cooperatives are always seeking new ways to engage their members. What are some ways electric cooperatives can better communicate and connect, especially with students and young adults?
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Submit your essay in hard copy or electronic format to McLean Electric. Electronic submissions should conform to the two-page, double-spaced guidelines described above.
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Include a cover page with your name, email, date of birth, school, and grade, parent or guardian’s name, address, email, and telephone number.
The deadline is January 16, 2026. Emailed entries should be emailed to sonjadm@mcleanelectric.com, and hard-copy entries should be mailed to: Youth Tour Essay Contest, c/o Sonja Moe, PO Box 399, Garrison, ND 58540
If you have any questions, contact Sonja Moe at 701-463-6700
What is the Youth Tour?
Every June, as many as 1,800 high school students from across the country spend a week in the nation's capital as part of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Youth Tour. The students are sponsored by electric cooperatives – cooperatives that are committed to educating America's rural youth about America and the role electric cooperatives play in developing strong rural communities.
Participating in the Youth Tour is an excellent way to learn about this great nation, develop leadership skills, gain a better understanding of electric cooperatives, and make friendships that will last beyond the week!
The Electric Cooperative Youth Tour has brought high school juniors and seniors to Washington, D.C. every June since the late 1950s. Students compete for slots for this unique opportunity and are selected for this program by their local electric cooperative. McLean Electric’s selection process takes the form of an essay contest.