It was an excursion to remember.
Thomas County Central High School senior Kennedy Ward spent a week of her summer vacation on the Washington Youth Tour as the representative sponsored by area electric provider Grady EMC.
Ward said no previous trip she’s taken “remotely came close” to her tour experience.
“This trip was much more than what I thought it would be,” she said. “I made friendships I never imagined I would have made.”
Some tour stops included the White House, the Capitol, meeting with U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson (Georgia) and one of Georgia’s House representatives, the Smithsonian, various national monuments, a dinner theater, and a riverboat cruise.
Her favorite part, “hands down,” was the people, approximately 110 other state delegates whom Ward said she “got to know each and every one of them.”
“While that may seem impossible, we were with each other everywhere we went: in the hotel, on the buses and on the flights,” she said. “If you were to talk to any of the other delegates, they would tell you the same. Throughout the trip and the past few months since, we have become like a family, sharing and supporting each other in times of trial and celebration. Believe it or not, we talk every day. We have actually met together several times since the trip.”
Ward also accomplished her goal of gaining knowledge and connections because she had “the privilege to meet with important bureaucrats and federal officials” as well as make lifelong friendships.
The WYT is sponsored by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (nationally) and the Georgia Electric Membership Corporation (statewide). The focus of the tour, inspired by former president Lyndon B. Johnson’s desire for electric cooperatives to send youths to the nation’s capital in order to observe their flag in action, is to teach teens about U.S. history, government and public service.
Ward said her experience during the Capitol tour and in meeting some elected officials opened her eyes to promoting public awareness of the election system, debates and understanding candidates’ interests.
History, public service and government matter to Ward. These are important to society, she adds, because “they have led our nation to be successful and inspire other nations to do the same.”
“When people do not know history, it is bound to repeat itself,” she explains. “When a nation's citizens are not aware of government (particularly democracy), those people can easily be controlled by a strong, centralized government. Public service is also important because it is a way to give back to the people and community that have given to you.”
Ward encourages tour participation.
“I would like to encourage any high achieving student to apply for this experience,” she said. “It is an experience that will give you memories lasting a lifetime and priceless friendships.”