Two local high school seniors were selected to tour the nation’s capital, learning about American history and government.

Charles Henderson High School Senior Zach Calhoun and Goshen High School Senior Lizzie Galloway were sponsored by South Alabama Electric Cooperative through Washington D.C. National Rural Electric Youth Tour.

The selection process began this spring, when over 100 students came to Montgomery for selection interviews. Calhoun and Galloway were chosen out of six interview candidates for the South Alabama Co-op sponsored spots in the program. Approximately 45 Alabama students were part of 1,600 from across the nation that joined in Washington, D.C. June 14. through 21st.

Calhoun said they toured many of the capital’s attractions, including the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials, the Washington monument, Smithsonian museums and the Holocaust museum. He said he really enjoyed touring the U.S. Capitol and speaking with representatives, senators and their staffers.

“I’d love to go into politics and it was great to see people who do that for a living — actual reps and staffers, and be able to talk to them about an average day for someone who works at Capitol Hill,” Calhoun said. “It helped me understand the lifestyle .”

Galloway said this was her first time visiting D.C, and the experience helped her gear up for her senior year of high school.

“My dad pretended I didn’t get accepted,” Galloway said. “Then he told me I did get in, and I got really excited, jumping up and down. The trip really opened my eyes, showed me that I need to keep going in school and start focusing on the ACT and college.”

Both students said they really liked meeting fellow students from across the state and the nation.

“I just got back from the beach with some people I met through the program,” Calhoun said. “ I met lifelong friends, people who live in my state that I might go to college with, that will be in my life for a long time.”