Pioneer Electric Cooperative is currently taking applications for the 2016 Alabama and National Rural Electric Youth Tours to be held in the spring and summer.

Last year, Pioneer Electric Cooperative (PEC) decided to once again participate in the Rural Electric Youth Tours and sponsored four students to attend the Alabama Youth Tour in Montgomery, and awarded two of the students with trips to the National Youth Tour in Washington, D.C.  This year, PEC plans to sponsor six students to attend the 2016 Alabama Youth Tour and will be awarding two lucky students the trip of a lifetime to further represent the cooperative in Washington, D.C., this June.

“This is a great leadership opportunity for high school students. I am thrilled that Pioneer will once again participate in Youth Tour,” said Casey Rogers, PEC Youth Tour Coordinator. “Students will be given educational and social opportunities that they wouldn’t ordinarily be afforded at their age.”

The contest is open to all high school juniors living in one of the counties served by PEC, including: Butler, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Dallas, Lowndes, Monroe and Wilcox. Applications are due by close of business on Friday and can be found at both PEC offices, on the PEC website and in the offices of school guidance counselors at any school within PEC’s coverage territory.

Selected students will join more than 130 high school juniors representing electric cooperatives in Montgomery for the Alabama Youth Tour in March. There, these students will have the opportunity to take part in activities such as Q&A sessions with representatives about topics that interest them; tour the Civil Rights Memorial, the Capitol and the State House; visit the Rosa Parks Museum and the State Judicial Building; and even have breakfast and lunch with state lawmakers.

The National Rural Electric Youth Tour, sponsored by electric cooperatives across the nation, the Alabama Rural Electric Association and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, is part of a grassroots program to educate high school students on the electric cooperative program and the cooperative ideas for which it stands. The National Youth Tour brings more than 1,500 students together every June to hear from prominent speakers, meet their U.S. Senators and Representatives, create life-long friendships with students from the 43 participating states, tour numerous attractions in the D.C. area and more.

For more information about Youth Tour and other programs sponsored by PEC, contact Rogers at (334) 382-4904 or by email at crogers@pioneerelectric.com.