By Iva Hinson
I can’t believe I’ve already been to Washington, D.C. and back! It feels like yesterday when I received the call that I was chosen to attend this year’s Youth Tour. I was beyond excited and grateful for such an amazing opportunity. Going in, I was extremely nervous about everything; I didn’t know if I could step out of my comfort zone and make friends, I wasn’t sure if I felt qualified enough to attend, and I really hoped that I would have fun while still learning many new things. Guess what? I made a lot of new friends from all over the country, I didn’t even feel underqualified around anyone, and I had so much fun while still learning so many new things! I believe that I will forever hold this trip close to me because it definitely impacted my life with the people I met, the things I learned, and the many firsts I experienced.
The day we flew to Washington, D.C., we met at a hotel for a little orientation. This is where I met a lot of my new friends. After this, we shuttled over to the airport, where we went through TSA, got lunch, and waited for our flight. Our flight got delayed several times, but it honestly was a blessing in disguise as I got to grow my new friendships and my relationships with my chaperones, which helped the trip in so many ways later on. Each day after this first one was a packed itinerary of visiting many memorials, visiting the Capitol, meeting our state representatives, seeing the Library of Congress, riding a segway for a tour, going to the Washington National Cathedral, visiting the Holocaust Museum, and going to the National Mall to visit the Smithsonians. We saw so much, and it felt like we had so little time to see everything. I also got to experience the NRECA Official Youth Night, which was the best night of all!
Overall, I learned a lot about co-ops, myself, and our nation’s history all in one week. My favorite thing I experienced was the people. Whether they were from Minnesota or some other state with funny accents and other names for pop, I knew I was with the right kind of people. Everyone was kind, respectful, and made you feel comfortable in your skin. So, I want to thank them for helping me come out of my shell, and for making that week so amazing. The 2025 Youth Tour trip was honestly the greatest experience in my life so far.
