Umatilla Electric is proud to announce that two local high school juniors have been chosen as the delegates for an all-expenses paid trip to Washington D.C. this June. Italy Daltoso of Hermiston and Mayte Cisneros of Boardman have been chosen to represent UEC on a weeklong trip to the nation’s capital to celebrate the 2024 National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) Youth Tour.
UEC’s 2024 Youth Tour delegates will represent Oregon and the Northwest and will join more than 1,500 other students from across the United States for the once-in-a-lifetime trip. During the trip, Italy and Mayte will visit famous historical sites, meet with Oregon’s congressional leaders, and learn valuable leadership skills.
Italy attends school at Hermiston High School where she is involved in three sports, Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), and takes advanced classes. Italy is also active in her community, volunteering at AAU youth tournaments, working in Head Start classrooms, and maintaining a regular work schedule. Italy has been recognized by her peers and supervisors as a recipient of the "YMCA Heart Award" through her summer job as a YMCA Camp Counselor. After completing high school, she hopes to fulfill her entrepreneurial dreams after studying business or becoming an educator.
Mayte is a junior at Riverside High School in Boardman and participates in Key Club, ASB Leadership, and the Volleyball program. Mayte also actively works through the school year as a Peer Mentor with Community Counseling Solutions. She has volunteered time in her community by stocking books in the "free library" locations around her community, worked as a tutor to help others, and saved many stray animals. In addition to her school and community engagements, Mayte has been recognized multiple times as Student of the Month, Captain of the Month and a Top Pirate, all awards recognizing responsibility, attitude and leadership. After completing high school with her honors diploma and associate's degree from Blue Mountain Community College, Mayte plans to study at Boise State University to become a Radiology Technician.
Says Robert Echenrode, CEO & GM at UEC, “We are excited to have this opportunity available to the youth in our communities. It’s a program that we hold in high regard at UEC. We are proud of all those who submitted applications and wish to thank all for being standout young adults across our region.”
For more information about the NRECA Youth Tour program, visit the Youth Programs page.