Hannah Swanson, right, was among the teens on the 2016 Youth Tour.

Each year, Kankakee Valley REMC offers a variety of youth programs to help young people develop the skills they need to become healthy adults and strong local leaders. How do these programs — which include serving as a page at the Indiana Statehouse, spending time at a summer camp and on a trip to Washington, D.C., and receiving college scholarships — help local teens?

The best way to find out was to ask Wanatah mother Fonda Swanson, whose daughters Hannah and Morgan took advantage of these opportunities. They applied and were selected for Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., Page for a Day and were also recipients of Operation Round Up Trust scholarships.

“I encouraged my daughters to apply to the youth programs because they are great opportunities to learn beyond the classroom,” Swanson tells us. “It’s one thing to read about our state and nation’s capitals, but through Youth Tour they got the chance to experience everything in person … something they’ll never forget.”

She also appreciated the way the programs challenged her daughters to try new things. “Getting on a bus with almost 100 other high school juniors that you have never met and being away from home for a week definitely pushed them outside their comfort zones,” she adds. “They stayed in contact with many of the students they met, and continue to see them at college. Those friendships add a lot to their lives.”

“Their involvement … promoted independence, responsibility and self-confidence,” Swanson notes. “This is something that every parent wants for their children. We are fortunate that our cooperative offers these opportunities.”

Know youth who could benefit from these activities?

Applications are available now for:

• Youth Tour
• Touchstone Energy Camp
• Page for a Day
• Operation Round Up scholarships.

Download applications at kvremc.com, or request an application from the school guidance counselor.

Dates to have the completed applications returned to the REMC:

• Youth Tour & Touchstone Energy Camp — Feb. 16
• Page for a Day — Jan. 22 or 29
• Operation Round Up Trust scholarships — March 1.