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Every summer, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association sends students from electric cooperative communities across the country to Washington, D.C. for the Government-in-Action Youth Tour, a ten-day experience that puts young people inside the halls of Congress, face-to-face with elected officials, and alongside peers from rural America in every state. It's a trip that, by every account, changes the students who attend.
This year, TCEC is proud to sponsor four outstanding students for the June 14–22 trip.
Earning a spot wasn't easy. Students completed a two-step process: a written essay grounded in TCEC's 10 Essential Attributes, followed by in-person interviews before a panel of volunteer judges from the community. TCEC's Community Engagement team managed the application process, from coordinating submissions to preparing judges with scoring rubrics, background materials, and interview guides so they could walk in confident and ready to evaluate fairly. The goal was to make sure the students got the serious consideration they deserved, and that the judges had everything they needed to do their best work.
The Atttributes, values like Trustworthy, Resilient, Collaborative, Empathetic, and Engaged, aren't just words on a wall. They're the standard we hold ourselves to at TCEC, and the standard we asked each applicant to reflect on honestly. The students delivered.
Selecting four from the talented pool who applied was no easy task. We're grateful to our volunteer judges: John Forrest (Parker County Attorney), Amanda Garner (District Director, Rep. Mike Olcott), and Meredith Fraser (District Liaison, Rep. Shelby Slawson) for giving their time and bringing thoughtfulness to the process.
Kobie Torgesen, Azle High School
Kobie inherited the presidency of the Bridges Club from his sister. The program pairs high school students with senior citizens for monthly visits, shared meals, and life stories recorded into a keepsake book. When the club lost its funding this year, Kobie didn't wait for someone else to figure it out. He organized a car wash, reached out to the local newspaper, and solicited donations until the club was funded for the next three years. His desire to meet people where they are, whatever their age or circumstance, shapes how Kobie thinks about his future: "Running this club will definitely help me with the rest of my life and my future goals. As someone who hopes to be an orthopedic doctor, I must learn how to engage and work with all kinds of people and of all ages."
Mukund Nadella, Carroll Senior High School
Mukund spent five years competing in Odyssey of the Mind, reaching the international level twice, learning to build solutions out of almost nothing. That same instinct carried into Teen Court, where he volunteers as a lawyer prosecuting juvenile defendants, preparing cases with only minutes and a charge sheet. He's earned state-level recognition in both DECA and Business Professionals of America, and he speaks three languages. The thread running through all of it is a refusal to be stopped by scarcity, of time, resources, or information. As Mukund put it, demonstrating the resilience that defines his approach: "Success in achieving one's goals isn't about having the most resources, but using one's limited resources with discipline, creativity, and collective effort."
Jack Miller, Weatherford High School
Jack has a 4.0 GPA and ranks 4th in a class of 598, but what stands out is how he thinks. A Cadet Captain in Civil Air Patrol, UIL Literary Criticism competitor, and varsity cross country runner, Jack wrote his essay about what he sees as the defining challenge of his generation: the collapse of civil conversation. His answer wasn't cynical. It was collaborative and grounded in the kind of spirit TCEC values most: "Real progress will come when we choose to listen before reacting, think critically before judging, and work together instead of tearing each other apart."
Whit Parkey, Homeschooled
Whit is a 4.0 student, dual-enrolled at Midwestern State University, and a four-year director of the Texas Junior Brangus Breeders Association, an organization that hosts a five-day state show drawing 150 exhibitors and 400 cattle entries. He helps manage the budget, recruit sponsors, mentors younger kids, and coordinates 20 events across the week-long show. He's also a Texas Youth Livestock Ambassador, a Texas 4-H Congress House Representative, and a longtime leader in his local Archer City 4-H club. None of it happens without serious year-round preparation, and Whit is clear-eyed about what that demands, and what it proves. His essay captured that responsible, resource-minded approach directly: "Throughout the entire year, I am preparing and gathering the necessary resources and support… My involvement in the TJBBA organization proves that I am well trained to handle situations and projects with a limited time frame and resources."
Congratulations to Kobie, Mukund, Jack, and Whit. You represent the best of our communities, and we can't wait to see what you bring home from Washington.
To learn more about the Youth Tour program, visit tcectexas.com/youth-tour.
