CoServ sends seven students on trip of a lifetime!

From the majestic rotunda of the Texas State Capitol in Austin to the historical significance of the National Mall in Washington D.C., seven local high school students experienced the trip of a lifetime in June as part of the Youth Leadership Tour (YLT).

One of CoServ’s long-standing academic initiatives, the all-expenses paid Youth Leadership Tour lets students see their state and federal governments close-up and in-person.

Jenna Klement did the Youth Leadership Tour in 2022, when she was a junior. The usually shy, small-town girl made lifelong friends with fellow travelers from CoServ and across the country.

“My favorite part of the trip was meeting everyone. It brought me out of my comfort zone. I really became more outgoing. I talked to everyone from all parts of Texas, and when I got to D.C., we got to meet people from all over the U.S.,” said Jenna, who graduated from Era High School in May.

She’d visited the National Mall before as an eighth grader but this time she applied what she’d learned in her history classes.

“I felt like I had a greater appreciation going when I was older. It was almost like my first step into adulthood,” Jenna said. “We made a point to go to all of them.”

The trip is typically reserved for juniors but uncertainty with COVID-19 in past years meant two seniors got to take the trip this year. Congratulations to all the students selected for the 2023 Youth Leadership Tour!