Area students win Washington, D.C. trip

FARMINGTON, Minn. (March 26, 2007) — Five local high school students were recently selected to receive an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., sponsored by Dakota Electric Association. The winners are Craig Belisle, Cory Etzkorn, Jacob Maxon, Jordan Wong, all students at Burnsville High School, and Molly Sturgis, Hastings High School. Breanna Chapman, Hastings High School, was selected as an alternate. The students will be part of the National Rural Electric Association's (NRECA) annual Washington, D.C. Youth Tour, scheduled for June 9-14.

Each June, more than 1,200 high school students from around the United States travel to Washington, D.C. for the NRECA Youth Tour. The participants are selected and sponsored by their local electric cooperatives. During the week, they learn about government, cooperatives and rural electrification. Students have the opportunity to tour many of Washington, D.C. 's sites, including the Smithsonian, the FBI Building and the Vietnam Memorial. They also have a chance to meet their elected officials.

“Dakota Electric is proud to offer these extraordinary students the opportunity to visit Washington, D.C.,” President and CEO Greg Miller said. “The Youth Tour provides a great way for local youth to learn about government, electric cooperatives and the nation's Capitol.”

The students were selected after filling out an application and going through an interview process.

“We had so many outstanding students apply for the trip,” Peggy Johnson, Dakota Electric's community relations director, said. “The judges had a very hard time selecting just five students for the trip.”

A customer-owned, non-profit utility since 1937, Dakota Electric Association provides electricity to more than 99,000 members throughout Dakota County and portions of Goodhue, Rice and Scott counties. Dakota Electric, a Touchstone Energy Partner, serves its member/owners with integrity, accountability, innovation and commitment to community.