Youth Tour Contest Online Application (Recommended)
Youth Tour Contest Application in PDF form
MPE's Annual Video/Essay Contest
Presenting MPE's Youth Video/Essay Contest. The two prizes are each life-changing, all-expense paid trips, one to Washington, D.C. and the other to Youth Leadership Camp. Both awards (trips) help students beef up their post-high school resumes for college and employment applications. See details below.
Washington, D.C. Youth Tour
June 15-21, 2026
Every June, more than 1,800 high school students from towns and small cities in rural America spend a week in the nation’s Capitol as part of the National Rural Electric Youth Tour. One high school junior or senior from within Mountain Parks Electric’s service territory will join students from Colorado and all across the United States to make memories that will last a lifetime.
Electric Cooperative Youth Tour 2026 Schedule*
DAY 1
- Meet in Denver to start our week together
- Tour the Colorado State Capitol
- Tour a co-op and learn about electricity
- Build a generation and transmission electric system model
- Have dinner with a state legislator
DAY 2
- Fly to Washington, D.C.
- Tour Fort McHenry
- Attend a Washington Nationals Baseball Game
DAY 3
- Visit with U.S. Senators and Representatives
- Tour the U.S. Capitol
- Tour Library of Congress
- Potomac River Dinner Cruise
DAY 4
- Meet students from other states
- Learn about cooperatives
- Visit the Pentagon and Air Force Memorials
- Visit National Cathedral
- Attend Youth Day with over 1,500 students from across the country
DAY 5
- Visit Ford’s Theater
- See the Navy Memorial
- See the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution
- Visit your choice of Smithsonian museums
- Attend a dinner and dance with students from across the country
DAY 6
- See World War II, Vietnam War, Lincoln, & Korean War Memorials
- Visit Arlington National Cemetery
- See Martin Luther King Jr., Franklin D. Roosevelt, & Thomas Jefferson Memorial
- Visit the Holocaust Museum
- Night out in National Harbor
DAY 7
- Say goodbye to Washington D.C., and your new friends, say hello to life-long memories
*Schedule is tentative
The contest is open to all high school juniors and seniors that are at least 16 years of age by the first Friday in January, attending a school in MPE’s service territory and living in a household that receives electricity from MPE.
Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp
July 11-16, 2026
Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp is a weeklong adventure in Steamboat Springs. At CYLC, youth develop leadership skills, learn about cooperatives, and have lots of fun!
The contest is open to all high school juniors and seniors that are at least 16 years of age by the first Friday in January, attending a school in MPE’s service territory and living in a household that receives electricity from MPE.
There are a ton of great activities planned for the next Youth Leadership Camp. The following is an example of the day-by-day listing of the activities.
DAY 1
- Arrive at camp, break into small groups, meet your fellow campers, learn about cooperative governance and elect a board member for your group, and hear an amazing leadership speaker.
DAY 2
- Learn about managing conflict, ride a gondola to the top of Mt. Werner, play volleyball, swim, and watch a high-voltage electric safety demo.
DAY 3
- Run for an ambassador position; tour the Craig Power Plant, build an electric system; watch as your hair stands on end–really–during the Story Behind the Switch presentation; and show us your talent.
DAY 4
- Float down the Colorado River and dance under the mountain stars.
DAY 5
- Learn about birds of prey with HawkQuest, take another look at leadership, elect the next year’s ambassadors, and celebrate at the banquet.
DAY 6
- Say goodbye to your new friends. Cherish all your amazing camp memories.
CONTEST RULES & GUIDELINES
- Submit 1-3 minute video or 500 word essay on how you demonstrate concern for community, which is one of the seven cooperative principles.
- Upload your video submission to Vimeo, YouTube, or your Google drop box link. Email your URL/link OR your essay to memberrelations@mpei.com with "Youth Contest" in the subject line.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: January 8, 2026.
MPE will contact you if you win.
Open to all high school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years of age as of the first Friday in January and are attending a school within MPE’s service territory.
Video Guidelines:
Lights, Camera, Action!
In a short 1 to 3-minute video, MPE would like to see how you demonstrate concern for community, which is one of the seven cooperative principles..
We're not asking for a masterpiece, but the videos will be judged and scored based on these five factors:
- Creativity and Originality: How unique and innovative can you get without going overboard?
- Quality: This covers the overall thought and care that went into your production.
- Performance: If the video includes acting, how convincing and impactful are the performances?
- Impact and Message: Does it leave a lasting impression, provoke thought or change?
- Audience Engagement: Does it keep viewers interested throughout?
Did You Attach Your Essay or Video Submission?
The max file size accepted within this application is 20MB. If you are unable to upload it here, please upload your video to one of the following platforms: YouTube.com, Vimeo.com, or Google Email's DropBox. Once you've uploaded your video, please send your video link/URL to memberrelations@mpei.com with the subject line reading Youth Contest.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: No later than January 8, 2026
MPE will contact you if you win.
Good Luck!