Each year, Ozarks Electric Cooperative sponsors local high school juniors for an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. through the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) Youth Tour. These students will join more than 1,500 peers from across the country for a once-in-a-lifetime experience in our nation’s capital.
During the weeklong trip, Youth Tour delegates will meet their representatives and senators, tour historic sites, monuments and museums and gain a deeper understanding of electric cooperatives and their role in serving rural communities.
In addition to the all-expenses-paid trip, Youth Tour delegates will receive a $500 scholarship from Ozarks Electric, awarded during their senior year.
Application
All current high school juniors who attend a school or are homeschooled within the Ozarks Electric service territory are eligible to apply.
Students must be available to attend the Youth Tour trip in its entirety:
Arkansas Youth Tour: June 16-22, 2027
Oklahoma Youth Tour: June 18-23, 2027
Oklahoma students will also attend Oklahoma Youth Tour Orientation, April 21-22, 2027, in Oklahoma City.
Cave Springs High School
Don Tyson School of Innovation
Elkins High School
Farmington High School
Fayetteville Christian
Fayetteville High School
Greenland High School
Haas Hall Academy
Har-Ber High School
Huntsville High School
The New School
Lincoln High School
Ozark Catholic Academy
Prairie Grove High School
Premier High School
Prism Education Center
St. Paul High School
Shiloh Christian
Springdale High School
Stilwell High School
Watts High School
West Fork High School
Westville High School
Students must submit a complete online application by the deadline of January 15, 2027. The application includes an original essay response to a provided prompt and one letter of recommendation from a teacher, counselor or other community contact. Finalists will be invited to participate in an interview with Ozarks Electric representatives. Following interviews, the selected Youth Tour delegates will be notified in early February. Applications will be available on October 1, 2026.
Questions? Please reach out through our contact form.
The Electric Cooperative Youth Tour connects students to opportunities at the state and national level. Explore the links below to see how the program comes to life across the country.
