Lewis County Student Returns from Washington D.C.

Meriwether Lewis' group has returned home from a successful Washington Youth Tour after seven student delegates and two chaperones spent a full week at the nation's capital.

The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association, MLEC and other electric cooperatives from across the state sponsor the annual event and provide an all-expenses paid, once-in-a-lifetime trip to Washington D.C. for high school juniors. Students were selected by writing a short story titled "Electric Cooperatives Connect" explaining how co-ops link Tennessee communities with energy, education, broadband, economic development and more.

The trip kicked off on June 14 and concluded on June 20. MLEC was represented by East Hickman High School's Sage Clendenion, Hickman County High School's Lilli Istre, Houston County High School's Charlsie Strech, Lewis County High School's Jaxon Fite, McEwen High School's Jacob Young, Perry County High School's Kari Byrd and Waverly Central High School's Bailey Hickman. MLEC Communications Coordinator Benjamin Armstrong and Marketing Coordinator Memori Depriest served as chaperones. In total, 185 students, teachers and chaperones attended.

During the trip, Delegate Charlsie Strech won first place in the statewide short story contest and earned the Robert McCarty Memorial Scholarship worth $3,000 from TECA. She competed against the top story from each Tennessee electric cooperative out of thousands submitted.

"The Washington Youth Tour is an investment in future members that MLEC is proud to sponsor," MLEC CEO and President Keith Carnahan said. "Through this trip, delegates explore our nation's history, meet elected officials and make lasting connections. The knowledge and skills gained are valuable and create future leaders of our communities."

While in Washington, D.C., Tennessee's Youth Tour delegates saw memorials to past presidents Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Delano Roosevelt as well as monuments honoring the sacrifices of veterans of World War II and the Vietnam and Korean Wars. During visits to the museums of the Smithsonian Institution, the touring Tennesseans saw and experienced natural, historical and artistic treasures. Other fun stops included historic homes of former presidents - George Washington's Mount Vernon and Jefferson's Monticello - as well as the US Marine Corps War Memorial, the Washington National Cathedral and a boat cruise down the Potomac River. The group also paid a solemn and sobering visit to Arlington National Cemetery where the delegates laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Delegates were also welcomed to the U.S. Capitol by Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, who spoke to MLEC delegates, answered direct questions and took a group photo.