By Rasha Aly 

In Washington, D.C., the air is thick with political power, but each summer, incoming high school seniors learn where real power truly resides.

Their journey into Washington focuses on the concept of the electric cooperative — a utility owned and governed by its members.

Twins Anwesha Mishra and Akshansh Nandan, both 17, were sponsored by Boone Power to participate in the 2025 Indiana Youth Tour to the nation’s capital. Chaperones are employees of electric cooperatives who impart industry knowledge throughout the trip.

The participants meet other students from across the country who are representing their own state and local electric cooperative.

Mishra and Nandan said they enjoyed learning new information. They discovered the cooperative principle of “one member, one vote,” which is a sharp contrast to the investor-owned utilities, where control rests with shareholders.

Mishra recalled how she was interested in learning about how community members collaborated in the 1930s to establish cooperatives, and to understand how rural power began with individuals.

When Mishra and her brother applied, they didn’t know a lot about cooperatives.

Nandan learned about the Youth Tour when he was looking through Indiana Connection magazine. He was enticed by the all-expenses-paid, week-long trip to Washington.

So, he and his sister, both of whom are now seniors at Zionsville Community High School, applied.

“It was a productive way to spend a week of the summer,” Nandan said.

The duo traveled by bus with other Indiana teenagers to the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, where they spent their nights during their stay in Washington.

When they arrived, they met hundreds of other soon-to-be seniors from different states, who were also sponsored by their local electric co-ops for the trip.

“We met so many new people and learned so much,” Mishra said. She keeps in touch with several friends she made on the trip, and they’ve created a group chat to stay connected.

Learning about co-ops is not the only thing they did in Washington. They also took part in the traditional sightseeing.

Nandan said some of his favorite parts of the trip included visiting the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the National Air and Space Museum.

While the museums provided historical context, the social element proved to be just as valuable. The two discussed how their chaperones provided them with state pins to trade with participants from other states, a social activity designed to help jump-start conversations. They both ended up with more than 20 pins!

During the bus trip to and from Washington, the Indiana group stopped by other well-known sites, including Gettysburg and the Flight 93 crash site.

Both Nandan and Mishra encourage others to apply and shared some advice.

“Do some history research about Washington,” Mishra suggested. “What you learn will help put in context some of the landmarks you see.”

Nandan said not to be shy when talking to the other students. “Start talking to them early. It would be a lot more fun earlier on.”

Current high school juniors whose household receives electricity from Boone Power are eligible to apply for the 2026 trip, which will be June 14-26. Learn more and apply at IndianaYouthTour.org by Feb. 13.