High School Juniors Eligible For “Trip of a Lifetime” to Washington, D.C.

Perhaps OEC’s best-known and most anticipated youth program, Youth Tour offers high school juniors a week-long, all-expenses-paid educational trip to Washington, D.C. in June. Four deserving students travel with the Oklahoma delegation (70+ students) to our nation’s capital where they tour historic sites and national landmarks, meet Oklahoma’s congressional delegation and more. Youth Tour has earned a reputation as “a trip of a lifetime” among former participants.
This year’s trip is scheduled for June 14 – 20, 2024, but interested applicants should keep reading or visit okcoop.org/YouthTour for the full list of contest requirements. The deadline to apply is December 20, 2023.
New Scholarships Up For Grabs
Youth Tour contestants now have even more reasons to get involved. One of them is the Cooperative Youth Ambassador Program’s $5,000 scholarship drawing, which requires participants to engage in activities like attending cooperative sponsored events, promoting OKYT on social media, serving as a High School liaison for future Youth Tours and attending their co-op’s annual meeting. There are also opportunities for bonus entries.
Another scholarship, the OEC Youth Tour scholarship, offers $1,000 (up to $1,500) and can be obtained by participating in the Youth Leadership Council and the Cooperative Youth Ambassador Program.
National Scholarship Available:
The Youth Tour Alumni Scholarship, listed on OEC’s website, offers awards ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 and can be applied for annually. While the deadline for applications is usually in April or May, applicants have the chance to receive this prestigious scholarship every year. To learn more and apply, okcoop.org/sponsorships-scholarships/
PART 1: COMMUNITY PROJECT
Cooperatives come in all shapes and sizes, but they all hold to the seven Cooperative Principles with Commitment to Community being one. Participating in events that benefit our communities is of high priority to OEC.
ASSIGNMENT: Imagine you are granted $500 to create a project benefitting your community. How would you utilize the funds? Who would benefit? How? Why is this important to the community?
Create a project proposal outlining your project using the sample template as a basis.

PART 2: COMMUNITY PROJECT PROMOTION
Every good cause needs an event to inspire interest and raise money. A community initiative will only succeed if people know and care about it. Let’s promote it!
ASSIGNMENT: Imagine a fundraising event for your community project. Create a promotional video for social media. (Max: 2 min/2 MB)
PART 3: LETTER TO A LEADER
Oklahoma Youth Tour allows students to see the government working up close. During our day on Capitol Hill, we walk the halls of Congress, visit with members of the Oklahoma federal delegation, and tour the U.S. Capitol. Being an informed and active constituent is an important civic duty.
ASSIGNMENT: Write a professional letter to an elected official about an issue important to you. This could be the issue surrounding your community project or an unrelated issue.
*Find examples of elected officials and ways to contact them at okcoop.org/YouthTour
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