BECI's Students Return From Washington

Four local students recently returned from an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. sponsored by Beauregard Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BECi) to attend the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association's (NRECA) "Government-In-Action" Youth Tour Conference.

A total of 26 young people from throughout Louisiana joined more than l,300 students from 35 states for a week of sightseeing and a chance to get a firsthand look at how our government functions.

Attending this year's Washington Youth Tour were Cathryn Craft of East Beauregard High School, Elizabeth Eckelkamp of Singer High School, Cameron Treme of DeRidder High School and Taylor Prejean of DeQuincy High School.

William Schmidt, general manager, said that the Washington Youth Tour is one of the most rewarding community projects that BECi sponsors.

“It’s very rewarding to see our young people, who will be tomorrow’s leaders, learn about our democratic form of government first hand,” Schmidt said. “You can’t get that kind of experience from a textbook.”

Before reaching Washington, the students toured one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, the Natural Bridge, in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. In Washington, the students toured the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, Washington Monument, Viet Nam and Korean Memorials, Arlington National Cemetery, Mount Vernon, the Smithsonian Institution, the recently opened FDR Memorial, attended a play at Ford’s Theatre, visited the White House and took a boat cruise down the Potomac River. One entire day was spent on Capitol Hill touring the U.S. Capitol and visiting the offices of the Louisiana Congressional Delegation.

BECi is the electric distribution cooperative for Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Evangeline, Jeff Davis, Rapides and Vernon parishes in southwest and central Louisiana and is one of l1 electric cooperatives in Louisiana.

Since 1964, the nation's cooperative electric utilities have sponsored approximately 35,000 high school juniors and seniors on visits to their U.S. congressional delegations, energy and grassroots government education sessions and sightseeing in Washington. NRECA is the national service organization representing the nation's more than 900 private, consumer-owned electric cooperatives that provides electric service to 35 million people in 46 states.

The United Way of Southwest Louisiana is an independent, not-for-profit corporation, governed by a Board of Directors of local volunteers. The United Way raises money to support programs of 37 human services agencies. Corporate Cornerstone gifts fund United Way overhead and dues; therefore 100% of the dollars raised by United Way stays right here in Southwest Louisiana. The agencies and programs supported by your United Way are located in Southwest Louisiana.