Youth Tour
Alfalfa Electric Cooperative is proud to announce that in June 2026, 2 delegates (juniors from high schools within our service territory) will travel to our nation’s capital for a week-long, all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C.!
They will tour historic sites and national landmarks, meet state congressional leaders, and more! Youth Tour is affectionately known as the “trip of a lifetime” by former Youth Tourians and is 1 of AEC’s most anticipated youth events of the year.
2026 Youth Tour Application
Youth Tour Contest
Students will submit their online application, essay, and 2-minute video containing the required information by January 21, 2026.
6 applicants will be selected as finalists for the Oklahoma Youth Tour. Judges will choose 2 students to represent AEC at Youth Tour 2026 in Washington, D.C. The judges will also select 2 students to attend the Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp in Colorado. All 6 finalists will receive a $500 scholarship at the end of the school year, pending that all requirements are fulfilled.
Please make sure you can attend the following events:
- Interviews - February 11, 2026
- Orientation Day - April 17, 2026
- Kickoff Party at Alfala Electric - June 4, 2026 (Parents invited!)
- Youth Tour trip to Washington D.C. - June 13 to 19, 2026
- CYLC to Steamboat Springs, Colorado - July 10 to 16, 2026
Essay Prompt: Imagine you have been given $500 to design and launch a community-based project that makes a positive impact where you live. Your challenge is to develop a realistic and meaningful project idea that reflects your values and benefits others in your community. Make sure to include one of the seven cooperative principles and tell how it relates to your project.
Essay should outline your project idea, including:
- What is your project?
- Who or what will it benefit?
- Why is it needed in your community?
- Explain why your project matters to you.
- What personal experiences, values, or observations inspired this project?
- Outline your plan from start to finish.
- What steps would you take to launch and complete your project?
- Connect it to 1 of the 7 Cooperative Principles. Explain how your chosen principle is reflected in your project.
- Explain how the $500 would be used - Be realistic and thoughtful in how the funds would be spent to maximize the project’s impact.
Project must include:
- Mission statement
- Marketing plan
- Cooperative principle
- Financials
Name your file "YT26_FirstNameLastName" and upload with your application.
For a project to succeed, people need to know about it!
For this portion, create a video up to 2 minutes long that promotes your idea outlined in the essay. Be creative!
Name your file "YT26_FirstNameLastNameVideo" and upload it with your application.
After submitting your application, judges will evaluate the essay, video, and the Student Survey answers to determine the finalists.
- I am currently a high school junior.
- I live in Alfalfa Electric Cooperative’s service area or attend a school in its service area.
- I can attend the interview (February 11).
- I can attend Youth Tour (June 13 to 19) and CYLC (July 10 to 16).
- I have confirmed my availability with my parents, coaches, church group, club sponsors, and anyone else who makes decisions about my life.
- I want to win this!
- Complete Student Information form.
- Upload your 2-minute cell phone video.
- Upload your essay.
- Complete the Student Survey.
- Ensure all of the above are completed before clicking the link to apply, as everything will be submitted within the application.
Co-op Leadership Challenge
Rising 9th-grade students take on a simulated co-op outage scenario, learning teamwork, leadership, and decision-making in a fast-paced, real-world environment.
Note: Application details are coming soon!
Co-op Civics Summit
A dynamic, hands-on program for high school sophomores that introduces students to government, advocacy, and civic responsibility — all through the lens of electric cooperatives.
Note: Application details are coming soon!