Two students in the Heart of Virginia, Autumn Holman and Irene Thornton, are among eight students selected to take part in the 2018 Washington Youth Tour, sponsored by the Southside Electric Cooperative (SEC).

Holman is a junior at Cumberland County High School, and Thornton is a junior at Fuqua Upper School.

The tour, which will include representatives from SEC in addition to electric cooperatives across the U.S., will take place from June 10-14. Approximately 1,800 students from more than 40 states will participate in the tour, Community Relations Coordinator Mark Thomas said.

“Youth Tour provides a wonderful opportunity for high school students to learn more about how the federal government works, meet and ask questions of their members of Congress, see many of the outstanding sights in our nation’s capital, and better understand the cooperative business model and the important role that electric cooperatives play in America,” Thomas said in a statement, noting that there are 42 electric cooperative organizations in 47 states.

Students from Powhatan County, Amelia County, the Town of Crewe, Lunenburg County and Campbell County were also selected for the tour.

Concerning activities during the tour, Thomas said there will be “a dinner cruise on the Potomac River, visiting Capitol Hill, meeting members of Virginia’s congressional delegation, seeing monuments and museums, visiting Arlington National Cemetery and the National Aquarium, taking in a Baltimore Orioles game and joining other students for a Youth Day rally and dance. Students will also learn more about electric cooperatives and hear motivational speakers.”

Holman, a member of the National Honor Society, the National FFA Organization and involved with Cumberland’s basketball, softball and volleyball teams, said she was inspired to apply by a friend who was selected for the tour the previous year, Caylor Scales.

“I am looking forward to meeting the senators and (attending) an Orioles game as well,” Holman said. “I am extremely thrilled that I was chosen to represent my community and school.”

Dr. Jeffrey Scales, principal of Cumberland County High School, said the school was proud to have Holman as representative for the tour.

“She’s a great candidate,” Scales said. He and Thomas noted that there were 45 applications from 18 counties that were considered for the tour.

John Melton, headmaster of Fuqua School, said Thornton makes a great representative of the school for being hardworking and involved with the Farmville community.

“Irene is an intelligent, independent and driven young woman, who is constantly seeking opportunities to contribute to her school and to the greater community,” Melton said. “I think she is an excellent selection for this leadership opportunity.”

Melton said Thornton is involved with the Model U.N. program and is captain of the school lacrosse team.