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Five local high school students were recently selected to receive a trip to Washington, D.C., sponsored by Dakota Electric Association. The winners are Mitchell Conzemius, Hastings High School; Emily Hull, Eagan High School; Sarah Most, Eastview High School; Michelle Quan, Rosemount High School; and Jacob Widen, Burnsville High School. The students will participate in the National Rural Electric Association’s (NRECA) annual Washington, D.C. Youth Tour, scheduled for June 9-14. Mya Hillerud, Eagan High School, was selected as an alternate.

Head shots of each student selected for the Youth Tour trip.

Each June, more than 1,200 high school students from around the United States travel to Washington, D.C. for the NRECA Youth Tour. The participants are selected and sponsored by their local electric cooperatives, and during the week, they learn about government and electric cooperatives. The students will have the opportunity to tour many of Washington, D.C.’s sites, including the Smithsonian, the FBI Building and the Vietnam Memorial, and they also have a chance to meet their elected officials.

“Dakota Electric is proud to sponsor local students to attend an event like the Washington, D.C. Youth Tour,” President and CEO Greg Miller said. “At this Youth Tour, some of the nation’s brightest students gather together to have fun and learn about our government.”

A panel of judges selected students after reviewing the student applications and interviewing them.

“We have a lot of quality students in our area and our judges always have a hard time narrowing it down to just five to go on the trip,” Peggy Johnson, Dakota Electric’s community relations director, said. “We thank all the students for applying.”

Each January, Dakota Electric makes applications available for high school juniors and seniors to apply for the Youth Tour program. Students wanting more information can email: [email protected].