I would just like to start out by saying thank you, thank you, thank you!  Thank you to anyone and everyone who made this trip of a lifetime possible.  I cannot say how blessed I am to be a member of such a community-centered cooperative, and to be in an area with such kind and sincere people! 

I would also like to encourage students who qualify for this trip to apply for the chance to experience this amazing opportunity because I cannot say it enough, this is truly a trip of a lifetime! 

Although the Youth Tour sounds astonishing from what you read online and from what you hear from your neighbors or friends, you can’t truly fathom how jaw-dropping this adventure is and how life-altering the tour can be without actually going.  Therefore, I highly recommend turning your completed Youth Tour applications in as soon as possible to have the opportunity to make friends across the country, see historical monuments, walk the same grounds as our forefathers did and basically experience a trip of a lifetime!

Now that I have given thanks where it is due, and I have passed some words of wisdom on to the next generation of Youth Tour participants, I’ll attempt to describe the trip as best as possible, even though such an amazing adventure can’t be put into words.

It all began in Austin. And as you all know, when you are with about 150 Texans in the capital of Texas you are obliged to sing Deep in The Heart of Texas with your loudest and proudest voice.  Not only did we sing Texas’ theme song, but we also yelled “Yeehawww” at least 50 times a day, which was a phenomenon to any non-Texans in Washington, D.C.  

In addition, almost everyone wanted us to say “Howdy” or just flat out talk so that they could conclude whether or not we truly have southern accents.  Even though it was great to be the talk of the District of Columbia, it was even more thrilling to sightsee everything from the Washington Monument to the Museum of the Bible.

Moreover, we about saw everything there is to see in Washington D.C. And to validate my statement, I can conclude that I walked over 65 miles, which is exactly the size of the District of Colombia.  Although, I do believe we were fed pretty well in compensation for all of the walking.

However, we did not just look like cheesy tourists all of the time. We were able to participate in fun activities, such as going on a boat cruise to dance the night away or attending a Shear Madness play at the Kennedy Center!  Nothing about the Youth Tour was boring, but instead, it was exhilarating, mind-blowing, and, truth be told, incomparable to any other vacation experience I have been through.

Although the Youth Tour was such an amazing experience, I truly believe that the best blessing was meeting and becoming a part of a big ole Texan family with all of my fellow Youth Tour participants.

By being a part of this newfound family, everyone developed a new sense of love for Texas and held a deeper appreciation for our deep Texan roots.  The friendships I developed on this trip are held close to my heart and are some of the best friendships I have ever had.

So thank you again San Patricio Electric Cooperative and members for giving me this chance to go on such an amazing and life-altering adventure.

Sincerely,

Rebekah Halepaska

Applications for the 2019 Youth Tour are due February 1!