Youth Tour Winner

Youth Tour Winner recognizes the student selected by Capital Electric Cooperative, Inc. to represent the cooperative on the Washington, D.C. Youth Tour, celebrating leadership, academic achievement, and community involvement.

Cooperative sends Bismarck junior on monumental trip

Sixteen-hundred students. Seven days. One unforgettable trip. This summer, Capital Electric Cooperative sponsored Kylie Quandt, a junior at Century High School, on a monumental trip to our nation’s capital. Quandt joined more than 1,600 students from across the country on the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour

youth winner

June 15-21. For one jam-packed week, she was immersed in the cooperative spirit that built and sustains our great nation. While on Youth Tour, Quandt and 15 other North Dakota students explored museums, visited iconic monuments and got an up-close look at where our country’s laws are crafted. 

They stood on the Gettysburg Battlefield, walked the halls of George Washington’s 18th-century mansion and witnessed ceremonies honoring the men and women who fought in uniform for this great nation.

“Visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier made me realize what a privilege it is to live in a country that has so many freedoms,” Quandt says. “It was such an amazing opportunity to see the changing of the guard.

It made me have more pride for my country.” The students also toured the U.S. Capitol building, where they learned about the vital role Congress plays in the daily lives of Americans. 

While there, they had an opportunity to observe the U.S. Senate in session and hear testimonies from Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala). Sen. Hirono spoke about the Supreme Court’s anticipated ruling on the Chevron doctrine, and Sen. Britt spoke about the persecution of Christians in Nicaragua.

“It was really cool to sit in the gallery and watch the Senate in session. It’s something not a lot of people get to do,” Quandt says. On the last day of their trip, they visited the FBI Experience.

Located inside FBI headquarters, the museum houses multimedia exhibits and artifacts that provide insight into the FBI’s investigative divisions, laboratory resources and professional occupations.

Students also had an opportunity to visit with former FBI agents about their work in the field. “I really enjoyed seeing how one day I could be involved in the FBI, like working for them. That was super cool,” Quandt says. Like all great trips, Youth Tour came to an end. 

Quandt packed her bags with souvenirs and mementos and boarded Delta Flight 2963 enroute to Bismarck. She hugged her friends and promised to keep in touch, knowing the memories she made would be with her forever.

“I think I’ll have lifelong friendships with the people I met on this trip,” Quandt says. “Looking back, I’m so grateful I applied and got in. I made so many memories I’ll never forget. It really was the trip of a lifetime.”

The Electric Cooperative Youth Tour has been bringing high school students from across the nation to Washington, D.C., since the late 1950s. Students apply by submitting an essay to their local co-op. 

Each year, Capital Electric selects one student to represent the co-op on the tour. The 2025 North Dakota Youth Tour will take place June 14-20. For more information on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, visit www.ndyouthtour.com. Quandt is the daughter of Capital Electric members Brittany Jasper and Curtis Quandt.