Hampton-Dumont Junior Lands Franklin REC Scholarship for Washington, DC Trip

Hampton-Dumont High School junior Stephanie Terrones was selected for the Washington, DC Youth Trip through the Franklin Rural Electrical Co-operative (REC) on Wednesday, March 6. 

Each year, Iowa's electric cooperatives select deserving students in their communities to send to Washington, DC for a weeklong trip in June. Around 340 students from Iowa are selected each year. The annual Youth Trip is attended by nearly 2,000 students from around the country, with all expenses covered for the students. Students apply for the program through their local electric cooperatives. 

Terrones found out about the program through a coworker at Fareway, where she works after school. She went for it, submitting an application to the Franklin REC office, before completing a written test and in-person interview on Wednesday, March 6. Judges quickly decided she was the most deserving applicant and she was contacted the next morning with the good news.

Terrones said she is “extremely thankful” for the opportunity to visit Washington, D.C. 

“I believe this is a wonderful opportunity for me to learn more about our country, meet with members of the congregation, and develop a new understanding about important monuments throughout Washington,” she said. “I’m excited to meet new people from all around the country and be able to experience this opportunity.” 

When she’s not busy with school, she’s working. She works at Fareway and she’s a certified nursing assistant (a CNA), which she said on her application that she worked very hard for.

In her recommendation letter for Terrones, Kendra Johnson, who worked with her at Fareway, wrote that she watched Terrones evolve from “a shy girl, who only spoke when spoken  to into a confident young woman balancing two jobs and school.” 

“Stephanie is a leader among her friends and coworkers,” Johnson wrote. “You can depend on Stephanie.” 

The 2024 Youth Tour will take place from June 15 to June 21. Stay tuned for an update on how her trip went, which will be reported in the Chronicle. To learn more about the program, visit https://www.iowarec.org/youth-tour.