Junior will experience "government in action"
Brokaw receives all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C.
By Alex Hawkins
April 01, 2009
Kaw Valley Electric Cooperative held its annual "Government In Action" Youth Tour contest on March 22 for an all-expense paid trip to Washington D.C. Shelby Brokaw, a junior at Silver Lake High, was one of the two students selected.
Brokaw said that she experienced a mixture of emotions after finding out that she had been chosen.
"When Kaw Valley called and said that I had been chosen, I initially felt a wave of relief. Then I got really excited. Now I can't stop looking forward to the trip," she said.
Brokaw said that she entered the contest not only because of the potential but also because of a little sibling rivalry.
She said, "I entered the contest because my sister, Courtney, had won the trip three years ago, and it sounded like it was a real once-in-a-lifetime experience. I wanted to be able to have that experience myself. Plus, I couldn't let her one-up me."
The trip to D.C., held during the second week of June, will include more than 1,500 high school students from 42 states. The students will tour landmarks, historical sites, and other points of interest. Additionally, a 34-member Kansas delegation represented by students across the state will also have an opportunity to meet with their Congressmen and Senators.
Brokaw said that the part of the trip that she is looking forward to most is all of the people she will encounter.
"The aspect of the trip that I am looking forward to most is the people that I will be able to meet. I'm eager to make lasting friendships with other students on the trip, but I'm also eager to be able to listen to the government officials that represent us," she said.
She also believes that she will come away from the trip with something valuable.
Brokaw said, "I expect to gain friendships and knowledge from this experience. I'll be able to interact with teens from all over Kansas and the United States and experience what Kaw Valley calls 'government in action.'"
