The Board of Directors of Empire Electric Association, Inc. is offering all expense-paid trips to educate deserving high school juniors in the area served by the Association.

The National Rural Electric Youth Tour provides students with a seven-day adventure that offers in-depth exposure to the electric cooperative network while exploring the nation's capital. Expenses, including airfare, lodging, meals, and all admission fees, will be paid by Empire Electric. Students will come away with not only a better understanding of the state and national governments, but also local electric cooperatives, the Colorado Rural Electric Association, Tri-State G&T and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

One student will be selected for the Washington, D.C., Youth Tour and six applicants will win a trip to Clark, located just outside Steamboat Springs. There are approximately 80 high school juniors from Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma and Wyoming will gather at a beautiful resort on the Elk River for an outstanding leadership camp. Students will participate in activities to improve personal goals and get an inside view of the state and national legislatures. There will be a tour of a coal mine and electrical generating plant and plenty of time for swim parties, barbecues, dances and banquets during the week. Many of the attendees call this camp a "life-changing experience."

Applications for these trips become available on November 1 each year. They may be picked up at Empire Electric's main office at 801 North Broadway in Cortez or downloaded from this website. Student applications will be accepted until the third Friday of the month in December. Member services representatives will also be visiting local high schools each November to make presentations and accept applications. Students must be 16 years of age by January 1 of the coming year, but not yet graduated from high school. Also, all applicants' parents or guardians need to be members of Empire Electric.

Students chosen for this program will be introduced to the electric cooperative network either through touring the nation's capital or while staying in Clark, Colorado near Steamboat Springs at a leadership camp. Participants will come away with a better understanding of the state and national governments, local electric cooperatives, the Colorado Rural Electric Association, Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association, Inc. and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

Consideration will be given to your interest in the electric cooperative, character, personal goals and desire to obtain leadership skills without regard to race, creed, color, sex or religious beliefs. In order to give the committee the necessary information requested, please make sure that all items are completed on your application. The youth tour committee will not consider your application if any information is missing or incomplete.

1. Student must be enrolled as a junior in high school and 16 years of age by January 1st or currently hold the status equivalent to junior in home-based schools or academies at the application deadline.
2. Applicant's parents or legal guardians must have a residential or business account with Empire Electric and account must be registered in one or both names.
3. Applicant must submit a typed paragraph to tell about yourself and what you would like to gain by participating in this program.
4. Entries will be judged on sincerity of written content and any other optional creative medium content.
5. Judging and selection will be made by a committee composed of board members, administration and selected staff members of Empire Electric.
6. If an applicant is an immediate family member of a committee member they will abstain from participating in that year's selection.
7. A copy of the applicant's parents' or legal guardians' Empire Electric bill must accompany the application for verification of service.

To be considered, your completed application must be returned to Empire Electric's main office at 801 N. Broadway, Cortez no later than 5:00 p.m. on December 18, 2009. To obtain an application, please use this download link or pick an application up at our main office.

Dates for the NRECA Youth Tour are Friday, June 11 to Thursday, June 17, 2010.

Dates for the CEEI Youth Leadership Camp are Sunday, July 11 to Friday, July 16, 2010.

Download the current application using the link below:

• Youth Leadership Trips Application

Please contact Empire Electric's Administration for more information about Empire Electric's Services and Programs, or to schedule a program presentation or service.