Three Local Juniors Earn Spots on Electric Cooperative Youth Tour

Three Texas County juniors were named delegates this week to the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., while two additional students were chosen for a cooperative leadership camp in Colorado. KSCB reported that “TCEC is celebrating local high school juniors selected for summer educational programs,” naming Katey Yates of Texhoma, Nathun Urias of Hooker, and Daniel Ponce Villalobos of Turpin as the Youth Tour designees. KSCBnews added that these students “have earned a spot on the prestigious Electric Cooperative Youth Tour to Washington, D.C.” and that “This June, they will travel to the nation’s capital, where they will explore historic monuments, iconic landmarks, and sites that have shaped American history, all while gaining a deeper understanding of civic leadership and the electric cooperative industry.”

The same KSCBnews coverage identified Elizabeth Buller of Turpin and Madison Cash of Beaver as delegates to the Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp near Steamboat Springs, Colorado. KSCBnews described the camp as “This immersive, week-long experience will combine leadership development, outdoor adventure, and hands-on learning.” A planned highlight of the camp is a visit to Craig Power Station, described in the coverage as “a major energy facility.”

Local cooperatives and national organizers frame the programs as civic and leadership training. Craighead Electric Cooperative’s community blog explained that local co-ops select juniors for a week of “leadership, history, and discovery in our nation’s capital,” and described selection criteria that include academic achievement, extracurricular involvement, character, and communication skills. Craighead urged eligible students to apply and noted that “But the greatest impact is often what students carry home — new confidence, a stronger understanding of democracy, and lifelong friendships.” Craighead’s post set a February 27, 2026 application deadline for that selection cycle.

National and statewide program materials offer context on scale and logistics. A national Electric Coop FAQ states, “The Electric Cooperative Youth Tour is a long-standing educational program that brings nearly 1,500 high school students from 44 states to Washington, D.C., every summer.” Wharton County Electric Cooperative’s program page describes the trip as a weeklong, all-expenses-paid June itinerary that begins with registration and orientation in Austin and can include visits to congressional offices, a Kennedy Center performance, and a Potomac dinner-and-dance cruise. White River Valley Electric Cooperative noted in its release that delegates from its banquet “joined 105 other students representing electric cooperatives around the state” and that Electric Youth Day “united 2,000 Youth Tour delegates from across the United States.” WRVEC also recorded that “Since 1958, the nation’s cooperative electric utilities have sponsored more than 60,000 high school students on this trip of a lifetime.”

For local residents, the selections spotlight youth engagement in civic life and the cooperative sector, and they signal investment in leaders who often return to speak, run for office, or join local boards. Katey Yates, Nathun Urias, Daniel Ponce Villalobos, Elizabeth Buller, and Madison Cash will represent Texas County communities this summer; the Youth Tour travel is scheduled for June. KSCB used the acronym TCEC in its announcement without spelling out the organization’s full name. The programs provide students direct exposure to federal institutions and regional energy infrastructure, and they connect young delegates with peers and potential mentors who often remain active in cooperative and public life.