Do you know high school sophomores or juniors
who would benefit from the Youth Tour?

The deadline for applications is February 2, 2026

Click here to apply using the online form.

 

Eastern Maine Electric wants to send two area high school students to Washington, D.C. next June, as part of the 2026 Electric Cooperative Youth Tour. Participants explore monuments and museums, visit the Capitol Building, and learn about the political process. They also build friendships that can last a lifetime.

Every generation leaves behind a legacy, footprints that shape the future. The Electric Cooperative Youth Tour is a chance for high school sophomores or juniors to do the same. For over 60 years, electric cooperatives have sent high school students to Washington, D.C., to discover their voice, step into history and begin writing the story only they can tell. This once-in-a-lifetime experience isn’t just about students seeing the nation’s capital. It’s about preparing them to lead, to grow and to make their mark on the world.

The best part: There is no cost to students, parents, or guardians. All expenses—travel, lodging, meals, and program costs—are covered by Eastern Maine Electric (EMEC).  The program is coordinated by the Co-op and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). 

Delegates from Maine will join more than 1,800 students from across the country in Washington, D.C., Friday, June 12, 2026 to Saturday, June 20, 2026.  During the trip, students will:

  • Develop leadership skills through hands-on experiences and workshops
  • Strengthen their resumes and college applications with a nationally recognized program that stands out to universities and employers
  • Connect with peers from 44 states, building friendships that last long after the trip
  • Meet with elected officials and learn how government impacts their communities
  • Experience history up close by visiting world-class museums and monuments
  • Learn about cooperatives and how they support rural communities across AmericaMaine is partnering with Kansas and Hawaii this year. We work with other tour groups to make the most of the Tour for our students and for theirs.

For the 2026 Youth Tour, Eastern Maine Electric is partnering with the Kansas and Hawaii electric cooperatives. This arrangement will make the trip more cost-effective for each cooperative, but more importantly, it allows each co-op to provide the best experience possible for its sponsored students. The Kansas-Hawaii-Maine group is expected to total around 30 students. In addition to its student representatives, Eastern Maine Electric is providing a chaperon for the larger group.

Maine’s finalists for the Youth Tour will be selected based on their applications, and a smaller group of finalists will then be interviewed to select the state's delegates. Applicants should be high school sophomores or juniors who are bona fide residents of a home served by Eastern Maine Electric. The children and grandchildren of EMEC employees and board members are not eligible. 


The deadline for submitting Youth Tour applications is February 2, 2026. In the month of February, the leading applicants will be interviewed. 

If you have questions about the Youth Tour, or if you have any technical issues with the website or form, please feel welcome to call or email us at YouthTour@emec.com, or at (207) 454-1524.