HISTORY OF THE YOUTH TOUR PROGRAM

The Youth Tour was born from comments made by Senator Lyndon Johnson as he addressed the NRECA Annual Meeting in Chicago in 1957. Beginning that year, and for several more, some of the Texas electric cooperatives sent groups of young people to Washington to work during the summer in Senator Johnson’s office, to learn about government in action.

The next year rural electric people in Iowa sponsored the first group of 34 young people on a week-long study tour of the nation’s capital, as a direct outgrowth of the Senator’s personal suggestion at the Chicago meeting. Later that same year, another busload came to Washington from Illinois. Other states picked up the idea in increasing numbers each succeeding year, sending busloads of young people through the summer. In 1959, the number had grown to 130 youth as the importance of the idea began to be better recognized.

In 1964, NRECA began to coordinate the program suggesting that the groups arrange their schedules to be in the city the same week. During the first year of the coordinated tour, there were about 400 young people from 12 states. Since that time, the Youth tour has continued to grow, and for the last few years almost 1,400 young people and chaperones have participated in the Tour each year. Texas Electric Cooperatives began a similar coordination in 1965.

Thursday, June 12 • Arrive in Irving, Texas • Check In • Orientation/Evening Social/Mixer at Hotel Saturday, June 14 • Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns • Visit Kennedy’s Grave Site • Tour Arlington Cemetery • Old Town Alexandria Monday, June 16 • Rural Youth Day – Coordinated by NRECA (All States) • Washington Zoo • Tour Kennedy Center • Tour Ford Theatre & Peterson House • Dinner – Hard Rock Café’ • Washington at Night Driving Tour Wednesday, June 18 • Washington Monument • Smithsonian Museums: • American Art • National History • American History • Air & Space Museum • NRECA Dinner/Dance Hyatt (All States) Friday, June 13 • Early Departure to airport • Breakfast at airport • Depart Dallas – DFW Airport • Washington, DC – Reagan Airport • National Cathedral • Check into Hyatt Regency Crystal City • Pentagon City Mall Sunday, June 15 • Devotional • Tour Mount Vernon • Potomac River Boat Cruise (All States) Tuesday, June 17 • Photo Session on Capitol Hill • Visit Congressman • Tour House and Senate Chambers • Visit Supreme Court • Visit the Library of Congress • Union Station • Sunset Parade at Iwo Jima Thursday, June 19 • Depart Washington, DC – Reagan Airport • Arrive Dallas DFW Airport, Irving, Texas • Closing Night Dinner Friday, June 20 • Continental Breakfast • Departures