<p>Bradley Wade Cates</p>

BAKER CITY – Wade Cates of Mt. Vernon is one of four students chosen for the 2012 Rural Electric Youth Tour in Washington, D.C. this summer, Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative announced.

Cates, a junior at Grant Union High School in John Day, is active with the Grant County Safe Communities Youth Coalition and Student Council, where he has held various offices.

In addition to track and field, volleyball and art club, he also enjoys hunting, fishing and community service. After graduation, he hopes to attend Eastern Oregon University and study education. Eventually, he would like to teach high school.

Also chosen for the tour: Abigail Harris of La Grande in Union County, Jessilyn Sayers of Baker City in Baker County, and Jake White of Hines in Harney County.

The four students will represent OTEC as they join nearly 1,500 students from across the nation for the one-week all-expenses paid trip. The students will visit some of the world’s most famous historical sites and spend time on Capitol Hill with congressional leaders.

Students will create podcasts and digital photo projects as they learn about electric cooperatives and current issues in energy and climate change legislation that face their communities and the nation.

For more information on OTEC’s youth and scholarship programs, go to www.otecc.com. OTEC is a non-profit electric utility serving 30,000 meters in parts of Baker, Grant, Harney and Union counties.