Pedernales Electric is again joining other electric cooperatives across the country in the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Youth Tour program, which sends high school students to Washington, D.C. to learn more about cooperatives and government. For its 2012 Youth Tour Contest, PEC is asking area high school students to write an essay and develop a Green Works initiative for their school, community or organization, incorporating a variety of conservation and green-living ideas. The Co-op also encourages students to include social media tools in their plans.

PEC’s Green Works initiative was established in 2007 and represents the Co-op’s ongoing effort to advance environmental responsibility, conservation activities and the use of renewable technologies.

“We recognize the importance of conservation and generating new ‘green’ ideas,” said PEC Community Relations Manager Toni Reyes. “We look forward to exploring students’ innovative ideas that would benefit their — and the Co-op’s — communities. Each year, we are more impressed with the creative and thoughtful essays that our PEC-area students submit.”

Essays and applications are due by October 24, 2011, and all eligible applicants will receive a USB four-port mini-hub made of eco-friendly bamboo. Twelve finalists will be selected to present their essays at LCRA’s Redbud Center in Austin on November 19. An independent panel of judges will select six students as winners of an all-expense-paid June 2012 trip to Washington, D.C., to learn about co-ops, tour historical sites and meet local political representatives. Six alternates will receive $100 awards for their participation.

The Youth Tour Contest was established by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association in 1964, and PEC has participated for 30 years. Almost 1,500 young people now make the trip to Washington each year as a result of the nationwide electric cooperative sponsorship.

Students are eligible to participate if they have a parent or legal guardian who is a PEC member or receives PEC electric service at their residence. Contest applications are available at PEC offices, area high schools and the Co-op’s web site, www.pec.coop/youthtour.