CIBOLA COUNTY - High school juniors Cheyenne Morgan of Grants and Jeraldine Henio of Ramah have been selected to represent Continental Divide Electric Co-op at this year's Government-In-Action Youth Tour in Washington, D.C.

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    Morgan, of Grants High School, and Henio, of Ramah High School, were among seven juniors who competed for the expense-paid, once-in-a-lifetime experience. Morgan and Henio will meet up with some 1,500 students chosen from across the country by other electric co-ops to tour the nation's capital and its historical treasures during the week of June 12-18.

    Morgan currently ranks fourth in her class, while Henio ranks second. Both see the trip as an opportunity to hone their self-confidence and people-skills before graduation and entry to college.

“With only one year of high school left, I feel that one major weakness is my lack of interaction with teenagers from other states and different cultures,” Morgan said.

    The Youth Tour will also be “the first step in being more than 500 miles away from home, other than Colorado,” for Henio. “I am looking forward to the opportunity.”

    Tyler Barbone, a Thoreau High School junior, was chosen as an alternate, in the event that either Morgan or Henio is unable to attend the Youth Tour.

    The contest's other participants were Alisha Gallegos, of Grants High School; Brittany Gibbons-Beverage and Joshua Beale, of Ramah High School; and Trumayne Coho, of Pinehill High School.

    This year, applicants had to write two 150-word statements and submit school transcripts to a panel of three judges. The judges, co-op employees, were able to choose the winners without having to review the transcripts. Applicant names, their schools, the area where they live and other identifying information were removed from the judges' copies of the statements and transcripts.

In their statements, applicants had to describe what strength they possess that fellow Youth Tour participants could learn from, if they didn't have such strength. Applicants also had to describe what weakness they could improve upon and how the Youth Tour opportunity could help them.

    Grants High's Morgan described her strength as her “determination to succeed.” Henio described her strength as “ a strong faith in self-identity.”

    The annual Government-in-Action contest is open to high school juniors whose parents or legal guardians are members of the Co-op. In January, contest entries are sent to each high school in CDEC's service area. Winners are announced in February.