A Capitol Experience

For Timothy Copeland, the trip made history come alive.

“You can read about all the monuments in D.C. in books, and you can see pictures of them, but it’s just not the same until you see it in real life,” Copeland said. “It’s just different. You get a whole new perspective on history when you see it in real life.”

Copeland, a 16-year-old homeschooled junior from Godley, was one of three students United Coperative Services sent to Austin and Washington, D.C., for the electric cooperative Youth Tour, a nine-day trip to the state and nation’s capital.  

In June, high school students from across the nation descended on Washington, D.C., to learn about democracy, see and experience the historical sites, meet with legislators and make lasting friendships.

The trip, sponsored by Texas Electric Cooperatives (TEC) and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), is an all-expenses paid trip to the nation’s capital for students who applied for the chance to participate by writing essays about the history of rural electrification.

Esther Dominguez, Youth Tour coordinator at TEC, described the trip as a transformative and even magical experience for the students involved. During her 30-year career at TEC, she said she has seen many students changed by the trip.

“It is a trip of a lifetime for these kids,” Dominguez said. “We call it the Youth Tour magic. We can’t explain it. It’s just what happens. You see it unfold when we get back. How these kids react to one another, how a lot of them have changed and matured throughout the trip. They are different when they get back.”

This year’s winners also included Sierra Bagley of Bluff Dale, a 17-year-old junior at Tolar High School and Sophie Slawson of Stephenville, a 16-year-old junior at Stephenville High School.   

Bagley is the third person from her family to be chosen for the tour. Her mother and older sister had both gone previously. Bagley said that her mother is a history buff who had told her about many of the places she might experience on the trip.
Bagley also said that the most difficult part of the trip was meeting new challenges and people and forcing herself out of her comfort zone.

Despite the difficulties, Bagley still felt positive about the overall experience.

“I know what they say is corny, and it’s cliché, but it’s the best trip of your life,” Bagley said. “You will have an amazing time. You’ll have experiences that will last a lifetime. My mom still tells stories about when she went, and I’ll be telling my kids about when I went.”

Copeland, an aspiring filmmaker whose favorite subject in school is English, said the trip would help him as he contemplates college and a future career as a filmmaker.

“It would definitely help me with getting different perspectives on the world,” Copeland said. “To see how different people live in different places. That would probably help in that regard.”

Copeland said the favorite site he visited was the Washington Monument because it was ever-present during the trip, often seen in the distance from around the city. 

Slawson thought the solemnity and beauty of the National Cathedral was the high point of her trip.

“I really liked getting to see the National Cathedral because it was absolutely beautiful, and it had just these lovely stained-glass windows that were so pretty,” Slawson said. “It was really neat to walk through there with the guide and hear about how the cathedral was built and what goes on behind the scenes.”

Slawson, whose favorite classes are theater and biology, echoed her fellow travelers when discussing the merits of meeting new people and how she valued that experience.

“You learn so much just being around the people that go on the trip with you,” Slawson said. “Getting to experience these incredible sites alongside them. It’s a learning experience from your peers. It’s great.”

The nearly 60-year-old program was the brainchild of Lyndon B. Johnson, who, at the time, was a U.S. senator from Texas and later went on to become the 36th president of the United States. Johnson’s vision became a reality in 1965 when electric co-ops in Texas began sending students on the guided trip.

United has sent more than 40 students to Austin and Washington, D.C., since 2000. The annual trip is sponsored by United in conjunction with TEC and NRECA and includes airfare, transportation, lodging, meals, insurance and admission charges associated with the tour. It is open to high school sophomores, juniors and seniors in United’s service territory, and all are encouraged to apply for this once-in-a-lifetime experience.