2025 New Mexico Youth Tour

June 16 - 21, 2025

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D.C. HERE WE COME!!!

Welcome New Mexico Youth Tour Delegates

The Electric Cooperative Youth Tour has brought high school students to Washington, D.C. for a week in June every year since the late 1950s. Students apply and are selected for this program by their local electric cooperative. We believe that students should see their nation’s capital up close, learn about the political process and interact with their elected officials.

Students gain a personal understanding of American history and their role as a citizen by meeting their Senators and Representatives. While student groups are organized at the state level, they all come together for Youth Day, where they get to meet each other and hear featured speakers who provide insight to the important roles electric cooperatives play in their communities. Congratulations on being selected!

We hope you enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

YOUTH TOUR AGENDA

JUNE 16-21, 2025

Download Itinerary Here

DRESS CODE

MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2025
NM CAPITOL DAY & TRAVEL DAY
DRESS CODE: Business Casual

8:00am - 9:00am - Check in & Packet Pick-up (breakfast snacks provided)
9:00am - 9:30am - NMRECA - Introductions, Code of Conduct, and Orientation
9:30am - Walk to State Capitol: Meet & Greet with Senators and Representatives, and Capitol Tour
11:15am - Walk back to NMREC - Restroom Break and Change Clothes

DRESS CODE: Casual

11:30am - Boxed Lunches at NMREC
12:30pm - Shuttle to Albuquerque International Airport (ABQ)
1:30pm - Arrive at ABQ, Check Luggage, and TSA Security Screening
3:35pm - Depart Southwest Airlines Flight #51 to Dallas Fort Worth (DFW)
6:20pm - Layover at DFW - Airport Food Court $20.00 Cash Each
8:05pm - Depart Southwest Airlines Flight #2181 to Washington DC (DCA)
11:55pm - Arrive at DCA, Claim Luggage, Load Shuttle
12:40am - Shuttle from DCA to Gaylord National Resort
1:10am - Room Assignments and Check-In
1:30am - Room Checks and Lights Out
TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 2025
MONUMENT TOUR & MT. VERNON DAY
DRESS CODE: Turquoise Shirt w/NM Flag & Casual Bottoms

8:30am - 9:00am - Extended Wake Up Calls
9:30am - 10:00am - Breakfast - Potomac District Cafe & Market
10:00am - Load Shuttle - Depart to Monument Tour
10:30am - Jefferson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, MLK Jr. Memorials
11:30am - Lincoln, Korean War Veterans, Vietnam Veterans Memorials
12:15pm - Lunch - Food Court $20.00 Cash Each
1:30pm - Load Shuttle - Depart to Mount Vernon
2:15pm - Mount Vernon, Washington’s Home, Plantation, and Grounds
4:30pm - Load Shuttle - Depart to Dinner
5:00pm - Dinner - Carmine's Italian Restaurant
6:00pm - Load Shuttle - Depart for Sunset Parade
7:00pm - Sunset Parade at USMC Marine Corps War Memorial
8:15pm - Load Shuttle - Depart to Gaylord National Resort
8:45pm - YLC Candidate Presentations
9:15pm - Youth Tour Store, Game Room, Down Time
10:00pm - Room Checks and Lights Out
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2025
NATIONAL MALL, MUSEUMS & BOAT CRUISE DAY
DRESS CODE: Orange Shirt w/NM License Plate & Casual Bottoms

6:00am - 6:30am - Wake Up Calls
7:00am - 8:00am - NRECA Coop101 Advocacy Class
8:00am - 8:45am - Breakfast - Potomac District Cafe & Market
9:00am - Load Shuttle - Depart to Lafayette Square
9:15am - Lafayette Square
9:45am - Free Range: Time to Visit Smithsonian Museums on the National Mall

• National Museum of African American History (tickets available 10:15am entry)
• National Museum of American History
• Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden
• National Museum of the American Indian
• National Museum of Natural History
• American Art Museum & Renwick Gallery
• National Museum of Asian Art
• National Portrait Gallery
• National Air and Space Museum (tickets available 1:00pm entry)
• Many more museums on/near National Mall (some require admission fee)

12:00pm - Lunch at Bugsy's
1:45pm - Load Shuttle - Depart to Holocaust Memorial Museum
2:00pm - Holocaust Memorial Museum
4:00pm - Load Shuttle - Depart to Gaylord to Change Clothes

DRESS CODE: Casual

4:45pm - Load Shuttle - Depart to Wharf DC Pier 4 (Maine Ave. SW)
5:30pm - 8:30pm - Board Potomac River Cruise and Dinner
8:45pm - Load Shuttle - Night Tour of National Monuments in Route Back to Gaylord National Resort
10:00pm - Room Checks and Lights Out
THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 2025
ARLINGTON CEMETERY, NATIONAL ARCHIVES & NRECA YOUTH DAY
DRESS CODE: White Polo Shirt & Solid Colored Bottoms

6:30am - 7:00am - Wake Up Calls
7:30am - 8:00am - Breakfast - Potomac District Cafe & Market
8:00am - Load Shuttle - Depart to Arlington National Cemetery
9:00am - Arlington National Cemetery (Check-In with Security at Gate)
9:30am - Kennedy Family Gravesites
10:00am - Check-In with Tomb Guards, Sentinels
10:30am - Wreath Laying Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns
12:00pm - Load Shuttle - Depart to Lunch (Pentagon City or Similar Food Court $20.00 Cash Each)
1:15pm - Load Shuttle - Depart to National Archives
1:30pm - National Archives Tour
2:45pm - Load Shuttle - Depart to World War II Memorial
3:30pm - Washington Monument Tour
5:00pm - Load Shuttle - Depart to Gaylord National Resort

DRESS CODE: Green Shirt w/NM Outline & Casual Bottoms

5:30pm - NRECA Youth Day Dinner
7:30pm - NRECA Youth Day Event
10:00pm - Room Checks and Lights Out
FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 2025
CAPITOL HILL & FORD'S THEATER DAY
DRESS CODE: Business Professional

6:30am - 7:00am - Wake Up Calls
7:30am - 8:00am - Breakfast - Potomac District Cafe & Market
8:00am - Load Shuttle - Depart to US Capitol Building
8:30am - U.S. Capitol Building - Youth Tour Delegate Photos
9:30am - Group Appointments New Mexico Congressional Delegation

• Senator Martin Heinrich
709 Hart Senate Office Building, 202-224-5521
• Senator Ben Ray Lujan
498 Russell Senate Office Building, 202-224-6621
• Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury
1421 Longworth House Office Building, 202-225-6316
• Congressman Gabe Vasquez
1517 Longworth House Office Building, 202-225-2365
• Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernandez
1510 Longworth House Office Building, 202-225-6190

12:00pm - Lunch - U.S. Capitol Café $20.00 Cash Each
1:00pm - U.S. Capitol Building Tour
2:30pm - Load Shuttle - Depart to Gaylord National Resort - Change Clothes

DRESS CODE: Casual

3:30pm - Load Shuttle - Depart to Ford's Theater
4:00pm - Ford's Theatre & Peterson House
5:30pm - Dinner - Hard Rock Café
7:00pm - Load Shuttle - Depart to Gaylord National Resort - Get Ready for All States Event
7:30pm - NRECA Farewell Event - Dance and Down Time
10:30pm - Room Checks and Lights Out
SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 2025
TRAVEL DAY
DRESS CODE: Casual

5:30am - 5:45am - Wake Up Calls
6:15am - 6:45am - Breakfast - Potomac District Cafe & Market
6:45am - Hotel Check Out and Load Luggage on Shuttle
7:00am - Load Shuttle - Depart to Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI)
8:15am - Arrive at BWI, Check Luggage, and TSA Security Screening
10:15am (EST) - Depart Southwest Airlines Flight #3633 to Albuquerque Internation Airport (ABQ)
12:15pm (MST) - Arrive ABQ and Collect Luggage
12:45pm - Release Youth Tour Delegates to Family Members and Coop Chaperones

Code of Conduct

View Daily Trip Photos

Day by Day

All Locations

LIST MAP

DC Day 1: Jefferson Memorial 16 West Basin Drive Southwest, Washington, District of Columbia 20024, United States
DC Day 1: FDR Memorial 1850 West Basin Drive Southwest, Washington, District of Columbia 20024, United States
DC Day 1: MLK Memorial 1964 Independence Avenue Southwest, Washington, District of Columbia 20037, United States
DC Day 1: Lincoln Memorial 2 Lincoln Memorial Circle Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia 20004, United States
DC Day 1: Korean War Memorial 900 Ohio Drive Southwest, Washington, District of Columbia 20024, United States
DC Day 1: Vietnam Veterans Memorial 5 Henry Bacon Drive Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia 20004, United States
DC Day 1: Mount Vernon 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Alexandria, Virginia 22309, United States
DC Day 1: USMC Sunset Parade North Meade Street, Arlington, Virginia 22209, United States
DC Day 2: Lafayette Square Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Washington, DC 20037, United States
DC Day 2: National Mall Madison Drive Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia 20011, United States
DC Day 2: Holocaust Museum 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place Southwest, Washington, District of Columbia 20024, United States
DC Day 2: Potomac River Cruise 580 Water Street Southwest, Washington, District of Columbia 20024, United States
DC Day 3: Arlington National Cemetery 1 Wilson Ave, Fort Myer, Virginia 22211, United States
DC Day 3: National Archives 701 Constitution Avenue Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia 20408, United States
DC Day 3: WWII Memorial 1750 Independence Avenue Southwest, Washington, District of Columbia 20037, United States
DC Day 3: Washington Memorial 2 15th Street Northwest, Washington, DC 20024, United States
DC Day 3: NRECA Youth Day 201 Waterfront Street, Oxon Hill, Maryland 20745, United States
DC Day 4: Capitol Hill 1 Independence Avenue Southeast, Washington, District of Columbia 20515, US
DC Day 4: Ford's Theater & Peterson House 511 10th Street Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia 20004, United States
DC Day 4: NRECA Farewell Dance 165 Waterfront Street, Oxon Hill, Maryland 20745, United States

Call Us

Go to location page See all locations

Itinerary Notes

This continues to be a working itinerary; open to timing and routing adjustments during the tour by the group’s tour guide and motorcoach driver in consultation with the NMRECA group leader.

Youth Tour Coordinator

Talia Storch - NMREC

tstorch@nmelectric.coop

505-310-2406

Evelyn Vigil - NMREC

evigil@nmelectric.coop

505-690-4652

Youth Tour Chaperones

Talia Storch - NMREC

Jennifer Peabody - NMREC

Sylvia Padilla - CNMEC

Tina Trujillo - JMEC

Ruben Archuleta - JMEC

TRAVEL TIPS & TRICKS

Download GroupMe App
We will be using the GroupMe App for commmunication on the trip. All students are required to install this app to receive important information throughout the week.

Join the group for NM Youth Tour 2025 HERE
Flight Information
Monday, June 16, 2025
Southwest Airlines Flight #51
3:35pm (MST) - Depart Albuquerque International Airport (ABQ)
6:20pm (CST)- Arrive Dallas Fort Worth (DFW)

Southwest Airlines Flight #2181
8:05pm (CST) - Depart DFW
11:55pm (EST) - Arrive Reagan National Airport (DCA)

Saturday, June 21, 2025
Southwest Airlines Flight #3633
10:15am (EST) - Depart Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI)
12:15pm (MST) - Arrive ABQ
Questions on Baggage
We will be traveling on Southwest Airlines which does not charge baggage fees for group travel.

All luggage will be checked:
- Students will not be allowed to take carry-on suitcases.
- Backpacks and small travel items are acceptable for carry-on, but luggage will not be permitted.
- Please carry medications in carry-on luggage or speak with a chaperone before departing to airport.

Baggage Screening:
- All luggage will be screened and subject to inspection. Substances and weapons are prohibited per the code of conduct. For more information on TSA screening CLICK HERE

Weight and size limits for luggage:
- Maximum 50lb weight/luggage. Any bags weighing more than 50lbs are subject to a $100 fee, which the student/parent is responsible for.
- Maximum size is 62"/luggage
For more information on Southwest Baggage Policies CLICK HERE
What to Take
Airports are cold - bring a long sleeve in your carry-on.

Liquids are not allowed through security, but empty waterbottles are.
- Please pack all shampoos, conditioners, body wash, lotions, cologne, body spray, other "liquid" items, etc. in a ZIP-LOCK bag in your checked luggage.

Snacks are allowed through security and some snacks will be provided by NMREC.

Headphones - please be courteous to other passengers and use headphones for any phone audio during the flights.

Pack a charger and/or portable battery pack, and bring in your carry-on bag.
- WiFi may not be available on the plane, so download games, movies, music, etc. beforehand.

Travel pillows are allowed.

Books, word puzzles, sketchpad, journals, etc. are all encouraged and acceptable carry-on items.

REMEMBER: The more you bring, the more you have to carry and keep track of! We will not be returing to any location for lost items, so please be mindful of what you bring on the trip.