Union Rural Electric (URE) delegates Cannon Moser and Kennedy Yurkovich of Marysville were among 38 students from throughout Ohio who visited Washington, D.C., on June 18 through 24, 2022, as part of the Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives Youth Tour. An electric cooperative tradition for over 50 years, Youth Tour is a leadership experience that allows students to visit the U.S. Capitol and other areas of historical and national significance, meet their congressional representatives, and learn about the cooperative business model.
“Youth Tour was an incredible opportunity and experience,” Cannon says. “Right off the bat, I knew it would be a fun week when I met the others I was traveling with.
“By the end of the week, I had formed many friendships that will endure a lifetime. Not only was this trip filled with fun and friendship, but I also got to explore D.C. in greater depth than ever before. From touring the Smithsonian museums to meeting my district representative, this trip provided me an amazing way to see and explore my nation’s capital and government structure.
“I am incredibly thankful I was able to participate. I highly recommend it to anyone who may be interested.”
The Ohio delegates joined over a thousand high school juniors and seniors from electric cooperatives around the nation for the weeklong trip.
“Youth Tour was truly such an amazing experience, and I am so grateful I was chosen to go,” Kennedy says. “When I first got selected, I was a little apprehensive because I knew I didn’t know anyone, and that made me a little nervous. After getting there and realizing everyone was in the same boat, I was able to come out of my shell a lot and talk to many new people. It was such a cool experience, and something I will never forget. The people I met were incredible, and I know I will continue to be friends with many of them.
“The places and things we were able to see were so neat, and it truly overall was such a joy to get to be able to go on Youth Tour. There is nothing that I would want to change about this trip — everything I experienced was so fun and enjoyable. I am so thankful for the memories I made, and I know I will always look back with fond memories! I just want to say thank you to everyone that funded this trip, and I will be sure to tell so many people about the fun I had as well as many of my friends to apply!”
Cannon is the son of Melissa and Eric Moser, and Kennedy is the daughter of Tiffany and Tom Yurkovich. For more photos and information about the students’ experiences at the 2022 Youth Tour, follow us on Facebook and Instagram.