Douglasville residents Raegan Allister, Austin Hawkinson and Andrea Hill, along with Dallas resident Lena Allen and Hiram resident Jamie Babecka, were chosen to participate in the 51st annual Washington Youth Tour, an all-expense paid leadership experience sponsored by electric membership cooperatives (EMCs) in Georgia, including GreyStone Power. Both Allen and Hill are students at Paulding County High School. Allister attends South Paulding High School and Hawkinson attends Harvester Christian Academy, while Babecka is homeschooled.
According to EMC leaders and past participants, to be chosen for the trip is a real honor, particularly since candidates vie for a spot alongside other teens across the state who are community volunteers, student athletes, and members of respected academic organizations such as Beta Club, National Honor Society, Governor’s Honors Program, Student Council, Key Club, Debate Club, Future Business Leaders of America, Interact Club and Science Olympiad, among many other prized clubs and associations.
According to Ashley Kramer with GreyStone Power, the Youth Tour was established with one thought in mind – to inspire the next generation of leaders. This year’s tour, which takes place June 9-16, exposes students to the fast-paced world of politics, leadership and agenda-setting in Washington, D.C. Each year the teens are challenged to consider the part they play in government and the cooperative movement, to become involved citizens and to consider careers in public service.

PHOTO: GreyStone President/CEO Gary Miller, on left, and GreyStone Board Chair Jennifer DeNyse, on right, congratulate GreyStone’s 2016 Washington Youth Tour delegates, who included (from left to right) Austin Hawkinson, Andrea Hill, Jamie Babecka, Lena Allen and Raegan Allister.

“These students represent the next generation of educated, engaged citizen leaders in our communities and country,” says Kramer.
“It’s important for them, especially at this critical age, to experience the nation’s capital, to see monuments and memorials honoring those who made sacrifices so that we can live and worship in a free society, and introduce them to students who share similar hopes and dreams but also come from a variety of backgrounds and different parts of the state and country.” GreyStone’s five chosen student delegates were carefully selected through a rigorous application process which varies by each EMC. This year, 52 high school juniors from across GreyStone’s service area competed to secure a spot on the trip. Candidates are student leaders chosen by counselors and staff from participating high schools. The winners earned the top scores on an exam that covered cooperatives, the history of rural electrification, electricity and U.S. government.
EMC leaders and former student delegates agree the Youth Tour has grown into an invaluable program that gives young Americans an experience that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.
The teen-delegates will explore government on a local and national level, gathering in Atlanta before departing for Washington, D.C. When the group arrives in D.C., participants will have a unique opportunity to meet with their elected officials and discuss the issues that are important back home. Georgia’s delegation will convene with more than 1,700 youth representing cooperatives across the nation and have the opportunity to mingle with peers from other states and exchange views concerning local and national issues.
Since 1965, the Washington Youth Tour has given 3,000 students in Georgia and more than 50,000 students nationwide the opportunity to take part in this once-in-a-lifetime experience. The program was initially implemented at the request of President Lyndon Johnson to “send youngsters to the nation’s capital where they can actually see what the flag stands for and represents.”
GreyStone Power serves more than 110,000 members in portions of eight counties, including portions of Douglas, Paulding, Fulton, Cobb, Carroll, Bartow, Fayette and Coweta counties. Learn more at www.greystonepower.com.