Mr. Villanueva goes to Washington

By CRAIG HALL

Most high school students don’t have a clue what they will do in the future, or even during the upcoming summer.

That isn’t the case for Heavener junior Benny Villanueva.

He will spend June 13-20 in the nation’s capitol, touring Washington, D.C. and getting an experience very few students experience. He is believed to be the first Heavener student to get the opportunity.

Villanueva is one of two students in the Kiamichi Electric area to qualify for the Youth Trip in June.

He had not heard about the trip before representatives from Kiamchi Electric came to campus and let the students know about the trip.

To qualify, students had to write an essay about their home town and then an interview with the coop.

The essay was submitted and Villanueva found out last week that he qualified for the all-expense paid trip, which includes students from across the nation.

The trip will start with a get acquainted banquet in Oklahoma City, where everyone meets and gets to know each other. After arriving in Washington, D.C. the tour includes sightseeing, a riverboat trip on the Potomac, and lunch with Oklahoma’s congressional delegation.

While he will certainly be busy during that week of the summer, Villanueva also stays busy during the school year.

He plays soccer for Heavener Hight School, is a member of the high school academic team and serves as treasurer for the student council and the National Honor Society chapter in Heavener.

While his trip to Washington will be his first experience flying, he is looking forward to the experience and seeing how the government operates along with the historic sites in and around Washington, D.C.

As for his future, Villanueva hopes to get into the aerospace industry and hopefully continues his education at the University of Oklahoma.

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