MURPHYSBORO, IL – Egyptian Electric Cooperative Association (EECA) is proud to announce the local high school students selected to represent the cooperative on the 2026 Youth Tour to Washington, D.C.
This nationally recognized program, offered through the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), gives students a unique opportunity to explore the nation’s capital, learn about the electric cooperative business model, meet elected officials, and connect with peers from across the country.
Summer Skelly of Murphysboro High School, Maddox Seaman of Carterville High School, and Peyton Rixmann of Pinckneyville Community High School were chosen by EECA as this year’s Youth Tour delegates.
These bright young leaders will join more than 1,500 students from across the country for a week of sightseeing, networking, and leadership development.
During the tour, students will visit historical and cultural landmarks, engage with lawmakers on issues affecting their communities, and gain firsthand insight into how electric cooperatives operate and serve their members.
For nearly 60 years, the NRECA Youth Tour has welcomed more than 50,000 young Americans, providing a lifechanging leadership experience.
Local cooperatives like EECA proudly sponsor students from their service areas each year to help cultivate and empower the next generation of community leaders.
EECA congratulates Summer, Maddox, and Peyton on their selection and looks forward to seeing the knowledge, connections, and leadership skills they gain through this incredible program.
“Our mission of “improving the quality of life of our members at a reasonable cost” guides us as we meet the diverse needs of our service area in Southern Illinois,” an EECA official stated. “Serving members in portions of ten counties, including Franklin, Jackson, Johnson, Monroe, Perry, Randolph, Union, Williamson, Washington, and Saint Clair, we provide high-quality electric service at reasonable rates. We benchmark our efforts by our four core values: integrity, accountability, teamwork and commitment to community. At Egyptian Electric Cooperative Association, our employees serve you and we make management decisions based on these values. In other words, we desire to truly live up to your expectations!”