In the humid stillness of Arlington National Cemetery on Sunday afternoon, June 13, 2010, four select students from the Washington Youth Tour Tennessee delegation solemnly walked down a set of stairs toward the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to participate in a wreath laying ceremony.

Larissa Rich, daughter of Martha and Terry Rich of Red Boiling Springs, was one of these privileged students.

Rich won the trip through a short story contest which is sponsored by Tri-County Electric, TECA, KAEC, and NRECA. Rich is a student at Clay County High School and her teacher, James Franklin, was also in attendance for the wreath laying ceremony.

The students lined up, along with a member of the military honor guard who ceremonially patrol the tomb, and then stepped forward together to place a wreath in front of the giant marble structure.

The ceremony is very somber and humbling as we remember the unknown soldiers who have fallen in battle and honor them by laying this wreath.

Tri-County Electric is only able to bestowed this honor to one of our students every six years because the other 22 electric co-ops that participate in the Washington Youth Tour take turns annually.