When Emma Sanders learned she had been selected to attend the 2024 Farmers RECC Washington Youth Tour, she was over the moon. 

"That was the coolest thing ever," says Sanders, a current Lindsey Wilson University student. 

For Sanders, who graduated from Hart County High School, the opportunity came through a recommendation from her school counselor and a representative from Farmers RECC. The trip not only changed the ways she saw Washington D.C. but also shifted her understanding of the electric cooperatives that power rural communities and changed her view of herself. 

"You literally see almost all of D.C.," says Sanders. "I expected D.C. to be not what is was. It was so pretty. It was like a small-town city."

For Sanders, the trip wasn't just about sightseeing. IT also opened her eyes to the role her local electric cooperative plays, not only in her community but across the nation. 

"You don't think about electric coops until your lights go off - then you think a lot about them. There's a lot that goes into this. Once I started talking with the mentors we had on the bus about their jobs and toles, I realized that not only is there more to the electric coop itself, but there are different roles in there," says Sanders. 

What struck her most was the passion and commitment of the co-op staff, from field workers to office personnel, who are all deeply involved in serving the local community. 

"The lineman are the face of it, but you also have behind the scenes working in it, too. I really liked how involved I found out they were in the community and how dedicated they were to the community."

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the youth tour for Sanders was how it shaped her confidence and sense of independence. 

"I've always loved to travel," Sanders says, describing the trip as a confidence-building experience. 

"You're totally safe ... you feel very comfortable, but it gives you a sense [that] you can do things, and you can go places," she says. 

Sanders was recently selected for an internship through the Disney College Program. She credits their youth tour experience with giving her the confidence to apply. 

"I did that because I really loved the youth tour so much, and I loved the travel and the experience," she says. "It gave me a little bit of independence in a way that you can do things, and I felt more comfortable applying for new opportunities and things like that because I went on the youth tour."

The 2026 Farmers RECC Washington Youth Tour application is now open for high school students interested in following Sanders' footsteps. The deadline is December 31-so don't wait! Apply here!  

Want to hear more about Emma's journey? Tune in to the full interview on the Powering the Good podcast this month, available wherever you listen to podcasts.