Youth Tour is an annual all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. that Oklahoma's Electric Cooperatives provide to 11th-grade students in our service territories each year. This trip is an all-encompassing leadership experience, allowing rural students the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to walk the halls of Congress and speak with elected officials. Many past participants have reported back about life-changing experiences watching the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and touching the names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.
Applications are open until February 1, 2027.
Questions? Contact Youth Programs Administrator Penny Kendrick at 918-365-1237.
Youth Tour Promo
2027 Youth Tour Applications
Application Deadline: February 1, 2027
By completing this application, you are signaling your agreement to the following statement:
I would like to qualify for the 2027 Oklahoma Youth Tour. I am a high school junior, and I attend school in the East Central Electric service area. I understand that the material I submit in this contest becomes the property of the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives and East Central Oklahoma Electric Cooperative for use at their discretion. I agree to abide by the rules of the contest and the judges.
Click Here to Complete Application
Important Dates for Applicants
Application Deadline: February 1, 2027.
Applicants should be prepared to attend an interview during school hours.
Contest Submission Guidelines
The 2027 Oklahoma Youth Tour Application has two contest options:
- Submit a video about Life Without Electricity
- Submit a professional letter to a local, state, or federal elected official.
Life Without Electricity Video Criteria
- Record a 1-2 minute video about a day of life without electricity.
- Please record your video horizontally if using a phone or tablet.
- You will upload your video when completing the application. There is a 100 MB upload limit. If your video exceeds this upload limit, please upload the video to Vimeo or YouTube and email the link to pkendrick@ecoec.com.
Legislative Letter Criteria
- Write a professional typed letter to a local, state, or federal elected official about an issue that's important to you.
- Be sure to include specific and appropriate content about your issue in a professional format.
- High-performing submissions will address both a problem and possible solutions.
- You will upload a copy of your letter when completing the application.
Past Participant Testimonies
Dear East Central Electric, I wanted to thank you for believing in me and sponsoring me! This trip has been so amazing and I have learned so much. Thank you for this opportunity!
- Haley Dennis, 2022
Thank you for such a life-changing opportunity. There were so many memories made, and I will be forever grateful. It was such an honor!
- Cassidy Fisher, 2022
Previous Winner Sample Entries
An example of a Top Ten entry.