{"id":717951,"date":"2026-01-06T09:35:06","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T15:35:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dakotaelectric.com\/?p=717951"},"modified":"2026-01-06T09:35:06","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T15:35:06","slug":"dakota-electric-association-opens-youth-tour-applications-for-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dakotaelectric.com\/2026\/01\/06\/dakota-electric-association-opens-youth-tour-applications-for-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Dakota Electric Association\u00ae opens applications for Electric Cooperative Youth Tour"},"content":{"rendered":"

High-school students can win an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>

(FARMINGTON, MN) January 6, 2026 \u2013 <\/strong>Dakota Electric Association is calling on the next generation of leaders to apply for a once-in-a-lifetime experience: the <\/span>Electric Cooperative Youth Tour<\/span><\/a>. The Youth Tour was established to inspire our next generation of leaders by allowing them to explore monuments and museums, meet with members of Congress, develop leadership skills and learn about the cooperative business model. Since 1964, more than 50,000 young people have taken advantage of the unique opportunity their local electric cooperative offers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe encourage any student who is interested to apply,\u201d said Peggy Johnson, Community Relations Director at Dakota Electric. \u201cWe look forward to reviewing all the applications that come in. Year after year, the applications get more and more impressive.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

This opportunity is open to students currently enrolled as sophomores, juniors, or seniors who reside within Dakota Electric\u2019s service territory. <\/span><\/p>\n

Students can complete the application for this extraordinary trip on <\/span>Dakota Electric\u2019s website<\/span><\/a>. The submission deadline is February 20, 2026.<\/span><\/p>\n

To complete the application, students must include a letter of recommendation from a teacher, coach, or youth organization leader. This requirement ensures that applicants are recognized for their dedication, leadership, and potential to make a positive impact. Additionally, applicants must be available for in-person interviews on March 13 or 18.<\/span><\/p>\n

Youth Tour offers an unparalleled opportunity for students to broaden their horizons, gain valuable insights, and forge lifelong friendships and memories. This immersive experience allows students to explore iconic landmarks, engage in interactive educational activities, and connect with peers nationwide.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ankit Mukhopadhyay, who attended Youth Tour in 2025, commented on his experience, \u201cI am extremely grateful for the opportunity to go on this truly amazing trip and would do it all over again if I could.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dakota Electric Association is committed to empowering the community’s youth and providing them with unique opportunities for growth and development. By offering this all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., Dakota Electric aims to inspire and motivate students to become active participants in shaping the future.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is an unbelievable experience\u2014once in a lifetime,\u201d continued Johnson. \u201cWith Youth Tour being an annual occurrence, we can invest in our future leaders on a regular basis. That investment in our community and the next generation of leaders is something Dakota Electric is very passionate about.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t miss out on this incredible chance to win a trip to Washington, D.C.! Apply now and embark on an unforgettable adventure that will leave a lasting impression.<\/span><\/p>\n

Please direct questions to Peggy Johnson, Community Relations Director, at (651) 463-6110 or (612) 978-4612 or email pjohnson@dakotaelectric.com.<\/span> <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

About Dakota Electric Association:<\/span>
\n<\/strong>Dakota Electric Association is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative serving over 117,000 members in and around Dakota County. Established in 1937, Dakota Electric is committed to providing its members with reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity while actively engaging with the community and promoting energy efficiency. For more information, visit <\/span>www.dakotaelectric.com<\/a> or follow Dakota Electric on <\/span>X<\/a>, <\/span>Instagram<\/a>, <\/span>Facebook<\/a> or <\/span>LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[99],"tags":[399,111],"class_list":["post-717951","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-press-release","tag-concern-for-community","tag-youth-tour"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dakotaelectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/717951","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dakotaelectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dakotaelectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dakotaelectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/28"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dakotaelectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=717951"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.dakotaelectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/717951\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":717963,"href":"https:\/\/www.dakotaelectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/717951\/revisions\/717963"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dakotaelectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=717951"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dakotaelectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=717951"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dakotaelectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=717951"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}