Submit Your Essay!
DEMCO Essay Contest / Youth Tour
Since 1978, DEMCO has sponsored an annual essay contest for high school juniors throughout our seven-parish service areas: Ascension, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Livingston, St. Helena, Tangipahoa, and West Feliciana.
Twelve 11th-grade students will be selected to give an oral presentation of their essay at a banquet in their honor, and six students will win an all-expense paid trip to attend the NRECA Rural Electric Youth Tour in Washington, D.C., June 13-20, 2026.
Accepting essay entries November 1 - January 20.
Throughout the submission and award process, there are many learning opportunities for participating students to gain a better understanding of the electrical cooperatives' business model and insight into how their national government operates.
Contest Rules
If you are a high school junior in the DEMCO service area, visit our Contest Rules page to learn how you can enter our annual essay contest. By writing a letter to a political leader about a topic that matters to you, you could earn a spot on an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., for the National Rural Electric Youth Tour. Don't miss your chance to showcase your writing skills, advocate a topic of civic interest, and compete for incredible prizes—check out the full eligibility details and submission guidelines today!
Youth Tour Experiences
Curious about what it’s really like to represent your community on a national stage? Visit the Youth Tour Experiences page to see how this incredible journey has shaped the lives of over 50,000 students across America. From meeting congressional leaders in Washington, D.C. to forming lifelong friendships with fellow student leaders, this page offers a firsthand look at the transformative power of the program. Explore the stories of alumni who have gone on to become CEOs and U.S. Senators, and get inspired to start your own journey today!
Youth Tour History
Discover the legacy behind a program inspired by a future president! Visit the Youth Tour History page to learn how Senator Lyndon B. Johnson’s 1957 vision evolved into a national tradition that has empowered thousands of students. Trace the journey from the first group of students in 1958 to DEMCO’s long-standing commitment to sending local juniors to Washington, D.C. It’s a fascinating look at how electric cooperatives have spent decades investing in the next generation of American leaders and citizens.
FAQs
ALL entering students are eligible for prizes for the best-written essays.
Only DEMCO member-students are eligible for the trip to Washington, D.C.
DEMCO receives hundreds of essays from high school juniors throughout our seven-parish service territory.
Three independent judges read the entries and select twelve finalists to participate in the final round of judging at a banquet in March.
New judges score oral presentations of student essays at the banquet based on poise, clarity of speech, and confidence.
Students also take a test and receive a score on their knowledge of DEMCO and rural electrification.
These two scores are added, and the highest-scoring students win!
Twelve semi-finalists are selected from the written essay entries. Those students are invited to attend a Banquet in March, where they take a brief fill-in-the-blank test and give an oral presentation of their essay. Winners are selected and announced. Each participating student is invited, along with their parents, teacher-sponsor, and school administrator.
*Customarily, the prize for the winners is a free trip to the NRECA Rural Electric Youth Tour in Washington, D.C. If NRECA cancels the event for any reason, the prize will be a $2,000 scholarship award.
Student finalists attend a banquet in their honor. The evening starts with a brief fill-in-the-blank test about DEMCO and the history of electric cooperatives (a study guide is provided in advance); appetizers and dinner is next, followed by oral essay presentations. While scores are tabulated from the test and the presentations, students enjoy a keynote speaker presentation. The evening concludes with the announcement of the contest winners and photos!
DEMCO’s Youth Tour student ambassadors will travel by bus to Washington, D.C., for the weeklong experience of the NRECA Rural Electric Youth Tour. During their stay, the Louisiana Youth Tour delegates will visit the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, the Supreme Court, the National Archives, Arlington Cemetery, and many other historically significant buildings and landmarks.
They will also join about 1,500 other Youth Tour participants from 43 different states to learn more about electric cooperatives. It's an experience that will connect you with student leaders from nearly every state and friendships that last a lifetime.
