For Michael Smith, 2014 tour delegate from Mountain View High School in Lawrenceville, the idea of a free trip to Washington, D.C., was intriguing enough for him to apply. After going, he encourages everyone to apply.

“At the kickoff banquet they said it would be the trip of a lifetime,” he remembered. “I thought it’d probably be cool but they were over selling it. Nope. I was floored by how incredible the trip actually was.”

Smith said the magic was in the people he shared the experience with.

“These people want to change the world; I call them difference makers,” he said. “The highest caliber people from across the nation sharing life experiences and just laughing and being teenagers.”

Now, it is your turn to join an elite group of students from all across America on the 2015 Washington Youth Tour. We are looking for high school sophomores or juniors, at least 16 years old at the time of the trip, with demonstrated leadership, academic excellence and interest in learning about civil service, American history and U.S. Government.

The weeklong leadership tour is set for June 11-18 and applications are currently being accepted. Four Jackson EMC student delegates will join more than 1,600 like-minded teenagers from across the country to experience the nation’s capital by visiting its monuments, memorials and museums; meeting your state representatives; and learning from one another.

Georgia is celebrating its 50th tour in this program, which is sponsored by the nation’s electric cooperatives. Jackson EMC’s delegates are nominated by their high school. Applications can be downloaded at www.jacksonemc.com/wyt and submitted to school counselors or leadership contacts. Do not send applications to Jackson EMC. Participating schools’ application deadlines vary, so check with your school regarding due dates. One semi-finalist will be nominated from each high school during the last week in February.

For more information, visit your high school counselor/leadership contact or email Kay Parks, PR/ community relations representative, at kparks@ jacksonemc.com.