Sumter EMC WYT Application 2025

A Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience

Once a year, local high school students are selected by Sumter EMC to represent our cooperative and state as delegates on the Washington Youth Tour. This top-notch leadership experience and tour of Washington, D.C. includes meetings with state and national leaders, leadership training, and visits to all the major sights. Participants join over 1,500 other students from around the nation—all expenses paid—for one incredible week in our nation's capital.

NOTICE: This application will need to be completed in one sitting. If you are unable to complete and must close the application, you will lose all progress and must begin again. Before attempting the application, you may review the information needed below or find it on our website at www.sumteremc.coop/wyt.

ELIGIBILITY

The competition is open to all sophomores, juniors, and seniors who will be sixteen by June 13, 2025, and live in or attend a school in Marion, Schley, Sumter, Webster, Lee, Terrell, Chattahoochee or Stewart County. Students not residing in or attending a school in the above counties are eligible if their parents are members of Sumter EMC and live within the cooperative's service area. The cooperative's service area is Marion, Schley, Sumter, Webster, Dougherty, Lee, Randolph, Terrell, Chattahoochee, Quitman, and Stewart counties.

Be a sophomore, junior, or senior in good standing with your school.
The applicant must be 16 years of age by June 13, 2025.
Must have parent's consent.

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* Personal Information

Full Name

Address

City

State

ZIP Code

Male or Female

Date of Birth

Email Address

Phone Number

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* What is your preferred form of contact?

Text

Call

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* School Information

School Name

Grade in the 24-25 School Year

Counselor Name

Counselor Email

GPA - Non-weighted

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* Parent/Guardian Information

Parent/Guardian #1 Name

Parent/Guardian #1 Email

Parent/Guardian #1
Cell Phone

Parent/Guardian #1 Work

Parent/Guardian #2 Name

Parent/Guardian #2 Email

Parent/Guardian #2
Cell Phone

Parent/Guardian #2 Work

Emergency Contact Name - Other than Parent/Guardian

Emergency Contact Cell Number - Other than Parent/Guardian

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* List up to 3 school related activities in which you have participated during the last two years.

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* List up to 3 non-school related activities in which you have participated during the last two years. (community/civic/religious/volunteer/athletic, etc.)

Please answer each question below in 300 words or less, using proper grammar and punctuation.

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* Why do you think Sumter EMC should choose you as one of their 2025 Washington Youth Tour delegates?

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* Tell us the one place you would like to visit most in Washington, DC and why you chose it.

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* When traveling on this trip, you will have to room with one other person. If your roommate is totally opposite of you...you are tidy and they are messy...you are quiet and they are loud...how will you handle the week?

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* Can you describe a time when you worked with a group of people you had never met before? How did you approach building relationships and collaborating effectively with them, and what did you learn from that experience?

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* If you could spend one day with a current or past leader, who would you choose and why?

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* Name four characteristics you value in other people.

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* Upload a clear headshot. This picture will be used on our website and social media platforms. If you have trouble uploading, please email your photo to tonya.jones@sumteremc.com.

PNG, JPG, JPEG file types only.

Choose File

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* If you had trouble uploading your photo and need to email, please check the box below.

I will email my photo.

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* T-shirt Size

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* Polo Size

Washington Youth Tour Information
The Washington Youth Tour, the state's oldest youth leadership program, was created from extemporaneous comments made by then-Senator Lyndon Johnson as he addressed the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) Annual Meeting in Chicago in 1957. "If one thing goes out of this meeting," the Senator declared, "I hope it will be sending youngsters to the national capitol where they can actually see what the flag stands for and represents." Beginning that year, some of the Texas Electric Cooperatives sent groups of young people in Washington, D.C. to work during the summer in Senator Johnson's office to learn about government in action.

Sumter EMC will be sending four high school students from our service area on thie exciting, all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C. These four delegates will join over 100 students from other electric cooperatives in Georgia to represent our state in the Washington Youth Tour, an annual event that brings more than 1,500 young people from across the country to our nation's capital.

Youth Tour events for Georgia's participants will begin with a kickoff banquet for the students and their parents in Atlanta. That will be followed by a day full of activities for the Georgia students before they fly to Washington. Youth Tour highlights typically include visiting the U.S. Capitol, Holocaust Museum, Smithsonian Institution, U.S. Supreme Court, and whenever possible, the White House. Other stops could include the National Cathedral and Arlington Cemetery as well as the World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam memorials, and the Lincoln, Jefferson, and FDR memorials. The students are also treated to a riverboat cruise on the Potomac, always a popular event.

In addition, students will have the opportunity to meet state and natinoal leaders and gain a better understanding of how our government works. Participants will also be involved in leadership-building activities and will have the opportunity to interact with students from across Georgia and across the United States.

The Youth Tour is fun, fast-paced, well-organized, and packed full of activities. The tour director is an employee of our statewide organization, Georgia EMC. They do a terrific job of planning and organizing the entire trip. Several EMC employees and their spouses from across the state volunteer to serve as chaperones. Teacher chaperones are chosen each year as well.

2025 Washington Youth Tour - What we expect of you!

If your sponsoring EMC selects you to join the Youth Tour, it is because you have measured up to the highest standards of leadership and behavior. You will be representing your local EMC, all the EMCs of Georgia, your local community, and the State of Georgia from the kick-off banquet to the return flight home. You will have a responsibility to yourself and others to meet the following expectations.

Have a positive attitude. Remain flexible. The nature of travel by bus and plane, combined with the size of our group, will mean constant adjustments. How you react to challenges such as possible luggage delays, long lines, or rainy weather will have much to do with what this experience means to you. Remember, no matter what happens, you choose the quality of your days.
Wear a watch, keep your itinerary with you, and be punctual. The schedule is tight; we want to experience as much as possible. Know when and where you are supposed to be, and show up on time! Cell phones are not permitted during touring, so you cannot rely on your phone for the time. Bring a watch and wear it.
Participate in all planned activities. No one may leave the group at any time unless authorized by the Tour Director. Participants will always travel/sightsee in groups of three or more. No participant may travel/sightsee by him/herself.
Adhere to the dress code and always wear your name badge during the Youth Tour.
Be in your hotel room by curfew each night. Do not leave your room after this hour except with the permission of your chaperone. Room checks are made each night.
Respect the rights of others. You will share a room with one other Youth Tour delegate and will be expected to tolerate differences. After curfew, you will be expected to stay in your room, be ready for bed, and be reasonably quiet so others may sleep.
Delegates may not enter the hotel rooms of delegates of the opposite sex. Public displays of affection and physical relationships are not acceptable behavior.
Remain at the hotel at all times except when you are participating in planned activities. You may not leave the hotel to shop or visit relatives or friends in the area.
Treat hotel property with care. Any damage will result in complete payment of damage on your part, and an immediate trip home.
Tobacco products, drugs, and alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited.

Infraction of these rules governing the conduct of Youth Tour delegates will be considered cause for terminating your participation. You will be sent home at your family's expense.

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* Please check indicating you have read the following:

Washington Youth Tour Information

Youth Tour Expectations

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* By checking the box below, I am acknowledging the following:

I am a sophomore, junior, or senior in high school and will be 16 years old by June 13, 2025.

I am in good standing with my school.

I will be able to attend the youth tour beginning June 13, 2025 and ending on June 20, 2025.

My parent(s)/guardian(s) have given permission for me to complete this application and are aware of the time commitment for this trip.

I will be available on February 18, 2025 for the interview, if chosen.

I agree to attend an orientation session hosted by Sumter EMC prior to the tour.

I acknowledge all of the above to be true and accurate.

If you have any questions, please contact Tonya Jones at 229-322-4444 or tonya.jones@sumteremc.com. Once your application is submitted, we will text or email and let you know it has been received. Good luck and thank you for applying!!