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Bluebonnet-area students earn spots on the Government-in-Action Youth Tour, a weeklong leadership trip to the nation’s capital
By Connie Juarez
This summer, two Bluebonnet-area students will get a front-row seat to where history is made: Washington, D.C.
Emma Meachen and Emory Burton have been chosen to represent Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative for the Government-in-Action Youth Tour, a weeklong leadership program that introduces students to the inner workings of American government.
Meachen, a junior at Giddings High School, and Burton, a homeschooled senior from Lockhart, were selected from a competitive pool of 15 applicants. Sofia Robles, a junior at Bastrop High School, was named alternate and will join the tour if one of the others is unable to attend.
Along with a weeklong, all-expenses-paid trip to the nation’s capital, each student will receive a $1,000 educational scholarship from Bluebonnet.
The Youth Tour, scheduled for June 14-22, gives students a chance to experience the nation’s capital while learning about civic engagement and public service. Participants visit landmarks and historic sites, tour the U.S. Capitol and attend educational sessions hosted by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and Texas Electric Cooperatives, the program’s sponsors.
Vice president of her class, Meachen, 17, is active in Student Council, Interact Club, Beta Club, the Lee County swim team and prom committee. Her favorites, however, are FFA and Giddings High School BBQ Club.
“FFA gives me a chance to give back through service projects, and BBQ Club lets me be creative in the kitchen,” Meachen said.
She would like to attend Texas A&M University and apply to the Mays Business School. She hopes to one day help run her father’s trucking company. “Watching my dad succeed inspired me. I want to be part of that and eventually help grow it myself,” she said.
Meachen said her sister played a big role in her decision to apply for the trip. “My sister Ruby went on Youth Tour last year, and hearing about all the incredible experiences she had made me want to apply. She told me to take lots of pictures because there’s so much to take in.”
Burton, 18, is involved in 4-H and varsity theater at Lockhart High School. She also plays cello in her church youth band, volunteers in her church nursery and serves as president of the Caldwell County 4-H Council.
Raising and showing lambs is what Burton enjoys most. “It’s incredibly rewarding. Seeing the results of months of hard work is fulfilling,” she said.
She plans to attend Tarleton State University this fall to study sports medicine, with a long-term goal of opening a wellness practice. Her interest in the field stems from a volleyball injury in freshman year that required extensive rehabilitation. “I want to help young athletes get the care they need so they don’t go through what I did,” Burton said.
Robles, 17, looks forward to supporting the program as the alternate representative. She is a junior at Bastrop High School and is involved in 4-H, pastoral council, National Honor Society, cheerleading, band and softball. Her older sister, Mayra, was a Youth Tour winner in 2020, inspiring Robles to apply.
Meachen and Burton said they are most looking forward to experiencing government firsthand. “I turn 18 next year and will be able to vote. I want to understand how our government works so I can make informed decisions and be a responsible voter,” Meachen said. Burton added, “I want to represent our area responsibly and take full advantage of everything the experience has to offer.”
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Government-in-Action Youth Tour, which has more than 50,000 alumni, including CEOs, elected officials and countless other business and community leaders.
Interested in a trip to Washington, D.C.?
The tour is an unforgettable opportunity for a high-school student from the Bluebonnet service area to experience Washington, D.C. and gain leadership skills that will last a lifetime. If your student would like to attend the Youth Tour in 2027, keep an eye out in November for applications online at bluebonnet.coop/scholarships. Applications for the next tour are due in January 2027.
Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative's five member service centers in Bastrop, Brenham, Giddings, Lockhart and Manor will shine blue at night throughout April to raise awareness of National Child Abuse Prevention Month and the region’s organizations that support families affected by abuse and neglect.
In the Bluebonnet area, six Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) programs cover all 14 counties where the cooperative provides electricity.
Other organizations in the Bluebonnet region that support cooperative members and their families include the Children’s Advocacy Center, which serves Bastrop, Lee and Fayette counties and offers care, support and services to children who have been abused or neglected; and SAFE Alliance, a nonprofit which operates in eastern Travis County and supports children, adults and families who have been affected by abuse or neglect. These local organizations welcome adult volunteers and donations.
If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, call the Texas Abuse Hotline at 800-252-5400, or submit a report online at txabusehotline.org. In case of immediate danger to a child, call 911 to contact local law enforcement.
About the region’s abuse assistance agencies
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Bastrop, Lee and Fayette counties supports children by providing specially trained community volunteers appointed by juvenile and family court judges to represent the interests of children who enter state custody after being removed from their families by Child Protective Services.
507 Water St., Bastrop
Open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday
512-303-2272
casabfl.org
Email kristi.bauer@casabfl.org
Children’s Advocacy Center
Children’s Advocacy Center, serving Bastrop, Lee and Fayette counties, provides a safe, child-friendly environment where law enforcement, child protective services, court prosecution, and medical and mental health professionals can share information and develop strategies to meet the needs of each case and child.
59 TX 150 Loop, Bastrop
Open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday
512-321-6161
childrensadvocacycenter.org
Email info@CACBastrop.org
CASA for Kids of South Central Texas
CASA for Kids of South Central Texas, serving Austin, Colorado, Waller and Washington counties, supports children by providing specially trained community volunteers appointed by juvenile and family court judges to represent the interests of children who enter state custody after being removed from their families by Child Protective Services.
1500 S. Day St., Brenham
Open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday
979-277-0088
wespeak4kids.org
Email info@wespeak4kids.org
CASA of Central Texas, Inc.
CASA of Central Texas, Inc., serving Caldwell, Comal, Guadalupe and Hays counties, supports children by providing specially trained community volunteers appointed by juvenile and family court judges to represent the interests of children who enter state custody after being removed from their families by Child Protective Services.
2725 Hunter Road, San Marcos
Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday
Phone: 830-626-2272
casacentex.org
Email info@casacentex.org
The SAFE Alliance
The SAFE Alliance provides housing, support services and prevention programs to stop the cycle of violence in Central Texas.
Children’s Shelter
P.O. Box 19454
Austin, TX 78760
Administrative office open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday
Phone: 512-369-5900
Reach the 24/7 SAFEline at 512-267-SAFE (7233), text “SAFE” to 737-888-7233 or chat online at safeaustin.org
safeaustin.org
3 ways to support those affected by abuse or neglect
- Donate gently used or new stuffed animals and clothing to your local abuse-prevention assistance agency.
- Volunteer with local organizations that offer services or support to children, adults and families.
- Help raise awareness of abuse and neglect through personal, workplace-related or community events.
