2023 Youth Tour inspires students monuments memories

Witnessing history

Curious about how the NRECA Youth Tour came to be? It all started in 1957 with a speech by then-U.S. Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson who suggested giving the opportunity to experience Washington, D.C., to rural students so they may see their own government in action.

“If one thing comes out of this meeting, it will be sending youngsters to the national capital where they can see what the flag stands for and represents.” — Lyndon B. Johnson

By 1964, NRECA took the reins to coordinate Capitol Hill visits and activities, including tours of monuments and museums and visiting with elected officials.

Source: NRECA there. It was cool to see someone who lived through that to come back and visit something that was made for veterans.”

Jackson Cleveland, left, and Ian Herbert visit the Capitol during their trip to Washington, D.C.

Delegates also witnessed the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery.

“That was a really special moment,” Jackson says. “I have seen it on television and short videos online, but watching someone — in person — take the time to show so much honor in protecting their country is so special.”

Visiting the Smithsonian Museum was also a highlight of the delegates’ tour. “I didn’t realize how much of a history nerd I was until I went on this trip,” Ian says.

His favorite part was seeing the diamonds, minerals and dinosaur bones in the Museum of Natural History.

“I was just thinking the whole time that seeing the beautiful things our Earth produces is just so cool. It makes me think about how complex and beautiful God’s creation truly is,” he says.

Jackson says the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum made an impact on him. “What we’ve learned in history classes just barely scratches the surface of the things that happened, and it’s crazy to think that people were treated that badly,” he says.

Forging bonds

Networking with other delegates from across the country is a big part of what the Youth Tour is all about. Trading and collecting pins with delegates from other states is a popular activity. “We met people from as far away as North Dakota and Maine,” Jackson says. “It was cool to interact with people from all over the country and hear how differently we talk.”

Both Ian and Jackson say the Youth Tour made them want to become more involved in their community. “I couldn’t be more thankful for this opportunity,” Ian says. “They put their trust in me being the right guy to represent the co-op, and I don’t want this opportunity to be for nothing. I want to make a positive impact on my community and maybe something bigger than that.”

“I am very thankful that I got this opportunity,” Jackson says. “To get to see our nation’s capital and see famous monuments and memorials and have the opportunity to make friends we may know forever — it was a great experience. I thank the co-op so much for giving us this chance.” 

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Take us along!

We’ve enjoyed seeing photos from our readers on their travels with Alabama Living! Please send us a photo of you with a copy of the magazine on your travels to: mytravels@alabamaliving. coop. Be sure to include your name, hometown and electric cooperative, and the location of your photo.We’ll draw a winner for the $25 prize each month. Make sure your photo is clear, in focus and not in shadow.

Alabama Living contributors win national awards

Two contributors to Alabama Living were recognized for their outstanding work during the Cooperative Communicators Association’s (CCA) annual awards ceremony in June.

Dennis Auth won a first place award in illustrations for his artwork, “Alabama A to Z,” for the cover of the January 2023 issue. Auth is best known to readers for his illustrations for “Hardy Jackson’s Alabama.”

Writer Emmett Burnett took two awards, a second place in technical writing for “James Webb telescope: the Alabama connection” which appeared in the April 2022 magazine; and a third place for his personality feature, “Eyes on the sky,” on weatherman James Spann in September 2022.

CCA, an organization of 300 professionals who communicate for cooperatives, is the only communications organization dedicated to serving those associated with member-owned businesses.

Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program continues to grow

Learning outdoors skills – such as rock climbing, camp cooking, shooting sports (including gun safety), fishing, hunting, canoeing, archery and many more – can seem intimidating, especially for women who didn’t grow up exposed to such activities.

Becoming an Outdoors-Woman, or BOW, is a three-day workshop designed to acquaint women 18 and older with the outdoors in a fun, non-threatening environment.

This year’s event will be Oct. 6-8, but registration opens on Aug. 1 for first-time participants and Aug. 7 for returning participants. Slots always fill fairly quickly.

For more information, including cost and registration, visit outdooralabama.com and click on “activities,” then scroll down to Becoming an Outdoors-Woman or call 800-245-2740.

Support Alabama eateries during Restaurant Week

Alabama Restaurant Week, Aug. 18-27, is a way for locals and visitors to show their appreciation for the state’s restaurants and their staffs. This culinary event unites Alabama’s diverse range of cuisine during the two-week celebration.

The week is marketed by the Alabama Tourism Department, which also produces the popular “100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama” listings. The department encourages patrons to dine out and support their local restaurants and offers some other ideas to show their support: buying gift cards, purchasing merchandise, asking small, family-owned places how they can help, and leaving good reviews online and on social media.

Learn more at alabama.travel.