Photo Caption: Seven high school juniors were selected to represent Mohave Electric Cooperative in the annual Washington Youth Tour with one student proudly sponsored by TWN Communications. Left to Right: Abraham Vissers, Haley Hulem, Inna Platas, Chris Morgan, Valeria Zambrano, Cat Smith, Evan Mynk, Karen Summit, Rilynn Bragg, Genesis Martinez, and Luiza Solis. Photo by Heather Foreman, MEC
BULLHEAD CITY – December 1 was an exciting afternoon for seven local eleventh-grade students. The students, whose parents, or guardians are MEC members, were selected to represent Mohave Electric Cooperative in the annual Washington Youth Tour.
Six of the top presenting students were awarded the D.C. trip sponsored by MEC. For the second year in a row, TWN Communications expanded the opportunity by sponsoring an additional student. The week-long excursion allows the students to interact with peers from across the country, tour the Capitol’s landmarks, and learn about the rich history of the United States. The annual Youth Tour takes place June 2026 in Washington, D.C. and is funded by assigned capital credits, at no cost to members.
MEC selects participants from applicants through a competitive two-step process that includes an essay and presentation before a panel of judges. All applicants must be high school juniors whose parents are MEC members and receive parental or guardian permission to apply.
This year’s volunteer judges were Inna Platas of TWN Communications, Cat Smith of Murphy Broadcasting, Karen Summit of Summit’s River Realty, and Chris Morgan of APO Energy Solutions. MEC thanks these judges who volunteered their time to help select the winning students.
MEC would like to formally congratulate the 2026 Washington Youth Tour winners: Rilynn Bragg, Haley Hulem, Genesis Martinez, Evan Mynk, Luiza Solis, Abraham Vissers, and Valeria Zambrano, for presenting in front of the judges and practicing their public speaking skills.
All 2026-2027 junior class students are encouraged to apply for the 2027 Washington Youth Tour. Details about this program can be found on our website at www.mohaveelectric.com. Application process begins in October 2026.
