WCEC Announces Youth Tour Delegates

Wharton County Electric Cooperative is pleased to announce that our 2025 Government-in-Action Youth Tour Delegates are Duncan Hariss and Ali Ishee.

The Government-in-Action Youth Tour is a youth leadership program allowing young adults to travel to Washington, D.C. to tour national historic sites, visit U.S. congressional offices, and learn about electric cooperatives and the energy industry.

“Youth Tour is an amazing opportunity for our delegates,” WCEC’s GM/CEO Gary Raybon says. “We continue to sponsor this trip because we know from experience that it has a tremendous impact on those chosen to attend. Youth Tour allows our youth to travel, explore history, and grow their skills in networking and leadership. Duncan and Ali will represent WCEC and our communities well this summer.”

Duncan is a sophomore at El Campo High School and is the son of Clayton and Ginger Harris of District 9 in El Campo. He is active in Student Council, Interact Club, and Anchor Club and is also a member of the ECHS Golf Team. In his free time, Duncan enjoys hunting, fishing, history, technology, and cooking. He also volunteers for many youth activities at St. Philip’s Catholic Church and El Campo Little League, including the Challenger League.

Ali is a sophomore at Rice High School and is the daughter of William and Amanda Ishee of District 1 in Garwood. She is involved in theater and UIL events and enjoys reading, music, gaming, and history in her free time.

WCEC holds an essay (or video) contest to determine the delegates for the Youth Tour each year. This year’s contest topic asked applicants, “How do you imagine representing WCEC on Youth Tour could impact your future?”

Duncan hopes to hone his leadership skills.

“Traveling with other students, sharing ideas, and learning from people with different backgrounds would help me step out of my comfort zone and expand my understanding of the world around me,” he says. “Leadership isn’t just about speaking in front of a group; it’s also about listening, working as a team, and learning from others. The diverse perspectives of people from across the U.S. would provide insight that will help me in the future.”

Ali hopes to gain professional insight for the future.

“My goal is to become an editor,” she says. “Hopefully, I can have some professional exposure to understand more about the journalism field and how I can have an impact on our society.”

Both essays can be read in full at MyWCEC.coop/YouthTour.

Duncan and Ali will join other delegates from Texas electric cooperatives in Austin this summer. The group will then travel to our nation’s capital to represent the Lone Star State among delegates from across the country.

For more information about Youth Tour, please contact Brenda Moreno at (979) 543-6271 or visit MyWCEC.coop/YouthTour.