Outage Map
Co-Op Selects 2 Washington, D.C., Youth Tour Winners
By Courtney Cobb
Central Electric Cooperative is proud to announce the winners for the 2026 Washington, D.C., Youth Tour. The cooperative selected Elliot Lau, from Mountain View High School, and Sahalie Medlock, from Redmond High School.
“The selected students demonstrated strong academic achievement while engaging in meaningful activities beyond the classroom,” says Brent ten Pas, vice president of member and public relations at CEC. “This trip to Washington, D.C., will provide them a valuable, lifelong experience, and they will serve as great ambassadors of the cooperative.”
A model builder, trapshooter, and local Boy Scout, Elliot is working toward his Eagle Scout rank and likes the challenge and outdoor adventures. When not in school, Elliot enjoys building model airplanes and creating fishing lures. He is also working on his trapshooting skills and hopes to win first place in next year’s state competition.
Excelling in sports and in the classroom, Sahalie loves to support students and the local community through a variety of programs, including student council, Sparrow Club, National Honor Society, Makerspace, and Key Club. She plays volleyball and tennis and serves as Redmond High School’s Associated Student Body treasurer. Sahalie also enjoys teaching children at various summer youth camps. Outside of school, she loves playing pickleball and sand volleyball, reading, baking, paddleboarding, and spending time outdoors with family.
The Washington Youth Tour is a nationwide program offered by electric cooperatives to high school juniors from their co-op membership. Participants receive an all-expenses-paid trip to the nation’s capital and learn about the nation’s history through visits to Arlington National Cemetery, the Washington Monument, the Smithsonian Institution, and more.
Students meet with other participants their age from across the nation and can discuss current issues with Congressional representatives and senators.