In June 2026, more than 1,800 youth delegates representing electric and telephone cooperatives from across the nation will converge in Washington, D.C., for Youth Tour, an annual tradition that has spanned over 65 years. Adams Electric Cooperative and Adams Telephone Co-Operative are seeking applicants to represent their co-ops for the trip of a lifetime.
During the weeklong trip, students will have the opportunity to visit Capitol Hill and meet with their elected officials, and visit historical and cultural sites including Gettysburg, Arlington National Cemetery, the Supreme Court, memorials, and museums.
“After touring our nation’s capital, meeting congressional representatives and learning firsthand how our government works, students return home with valuable knowledge that helps prepare them for the future, as well as friendships that will last a lifetime,” said Danielle Flesner, Youth Tour Coordinator for Adams Telephone.
Youth Tour is rooted in politics. It was born from a speech at the 1957 National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) annual meeting by then Texas Senator Lyndon B. Johnson, who later became president. “If one thing comes out of this meeting, it will be sending youngsters to the national capital, where they can actually see what the flag stands for and represents,” he said.
Illinois electric cooperatives did just that and began sending students to Washington, D.C., in 1959. In 1964, NRECA began to coordinate Youth Tour as the national event that it is today. Electric and telephone cooperatives of Illinois are still participating in this character-building experience.
Youth Tour in Illinois begins with Youth Day. The year 1974 marked the first annual Illinois Electric and Telephone Cooperatives Youth Day, and ever since, co-ops across the state have sent high school students within their service territories to Springfield to meet their elected officials, tour the city and learn more about the cooperative program.
Adams Electric and Adams Telephone will sponsor up to 34 students from high schools within their service areas on an all-expense-paid trip to Springfield on March 25, 2026. Each year, more than 200 students across Illinois get an up-close look at state government in action.
The annual Youth Tour occurs every June. This year, selected participants will board buses in Springfield on June 15 and will return on June 22. Adams Electric and Adams Telephone will each sponsor two of these students on the weeklong, all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C.
These students will join dozens of others from across the state and create lifelong friendships along the way. The Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives coordinates the daily planning for all events and sites of interest for the tour, which travels via two chartered buses.
“Youth Tour is important to the electric and telephone cooperatives of Illinois, because educated citizens are better citizens,” Laura Bergman, Youth Tour Coordinator for Adams Electric explained. “It familiarizes students with the historic and political environment of our nation’s capital, and visits with elected officials give them a better understanding of government.”
During the trip, students have the opportunity to be selected to represent Illinois on the NRECA Youth Leadership Council (YLC). One student from each state is selected by their peers to represent the state during Youth Tour and at NRECA’s annual meeting. This role helps to build leadership and public speaking skills, as well as develop lifelong friendships with representatives from other states.
The Youth Tour program is open to area high school sophomores and juniors. Students’ parents do not have to be members of a co-op to enter. To apply, go to Adams Electric’s Youth Tour page or adams.net. Students may apply through either cooperative – applications will be divided based on territories. The deadline to apply is February 17. For more information, contact Laura Bergman by calling 217-509-7761 or emailing lbergman@adamselectric.coop.
Even if a student is not selected for the trip, there is still a chance to go. The Willie Wiredhand Program, named after the electric cooperative mascot, gives students another opportunity. It allows students to pay for the trip on their own. There is a “toolbox” available to help raise the funds needed to participate, which includes information on pricing, suggestions on community fundraising, deadlines, etc.
To follow the trip each year, visit the Illinois Youth Tour Facebook page at facebook.com/ILYouthTour.