Claverack Rural Electric Seeks Youth Tour Candidates

WYSOX - Claverack Rural Electric Cooperative is searching for high school juniors to send on an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., this summer.

The Wysox-based utility will select eight students to represent the cooperative during the 2003 Rural Electric Youth Tour, an annual event organized by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

The Youth Tour, set for June 15-20, will draw approximately 1,200 rural students from around the country to the nation's capital for a week of sight-seeing and socializing.

"The Youth Tour is an excellent learning experience for students," said Claverack's member services director, Brent Raupers, who has served as a tour chaperone in the past. "For many participants, this is their first visit to Washington; so it's their first exposure to the workings of our government and the wonderful, historic sites of the nation's capital.

"Educational benefits aside, the Youth Tour is just a whole lot of fun," Raupers added.

As part of the Pennsylvania delegation, Claverack's Youth Tour participants will visit the Gettysburg battlefield before joining the national gathering.

Upon arrival in Washington, students will visit the Smithsonian, Vietnam and Korean War memorials, National Cathedral, Arlington National Cemetery, Washington Monument and the National Zoo.

They will also travel to Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress. An evening boat cruise on the Potomac River and a live theatrical production at the Kennedy Center round out the itinerary.

Claverack holds a contest to select student delegates each year. Entrants must complete an application form and write a short essay on the topic "Electricity: How it affects my life." The deadline for submitting applications and essays is March 21.

To receive an application packet or for more information about the 2003 Rural Electric Youth Tour, contact Claverack member services representative Mike LaDue at 1-800-326-9799. Guidance offices at area high schools also have application materials available.

The contest is open to high school juniors whose parents or legal guardians receive electric service from Claverack Rural Electric Cooperative at their permanent residences.

A member-owned, non-profit utility, Claverack provides electricity to more than 17,000 consumer-members in Tioga, Bradford, Lycoming, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Wyoming, Lackawanna and Luzerne counties.