Community
Youth Tour 2012
The Rural Electric Youth Tour to Washington, D.C. is set for June 16-22, 2012. This is an annual event coordinated by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and The North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives. Participants are sponsored by local electric cooperatives like Pitt & Greene Electric Membership Corporation from across the nation.
Some 1,200 high school students converge on Washington, D.C. for the all-expense paid, week long trip to see the historic sights they have studied about, to learn about the rural electrification program and to see their government in action.
North Carolina has participated in the program since 1967, and since then, about 1,000 young people have experienced this once in-a-lifetime opportunity.
In 1985, the idea of a “Soda-Pop Co-op” arose because of high prices for soft drinks in the D.C. area. By 1986, the co-op was a part of the tour - complete with a board of directors, a manager and at the end of the week a return of Capital credits.
Although learning is a major aspect of the trip, the fun of getting to know so many other teens from across the state and nation is also important. Many lifelong friendships have been made.
The student selected to represent Pitt & Greene will travel with other EMC tourist from North Carolina to Washington, D.C. via charter bus where they will visit such historical landmarks as the Smithsonian Institute, Arlington National Cemetery, Mount Vernon, the National Zoo, the FBI Building and the US Capitol Building.
The tourist will have the opportunity to meet with their Congressional Representatives. There will also be an evening at the Kennedy Center.
Students must be juniors in high school and submit a completed application form, YOUTH TOUR APPLICATION.doc and short essay on, “What new or different source(s) of energy could we see in the future?” The deadline to turn in the completed application is February 24, 2012.
The trip allows participants to meet elected officials and better understand how the federal government operates. The Youth Tour has brought students to Washington, D.C., since the late 1950s. To date, more than 40,000 students from small towns in 44 states have participated in this program and walked away with a greater understanding of their role as a citizen. Past participants of the Youth Tour have worked as congressional aides on Capitol Hill and serve in some of the highest ranks of our government, including the U.S. Senate.
The Youth Tour aims to educate youth on all aspects of rural electrification in order to promote a better understanding of the value of rural electric cooperatives. TheYouth Tour provides an opportunity for youth to visit monuments, government buildings and cooperative-related organizations in order to become familiar with the historical and political environment of the nation’s capital.
The Rural Electric Youth Tour is a joint effort of local electric co-ops, statewide co-op associations and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association in Arlington, Va.
Cooperative Leadership Camp
The runner-up in the Youth Tour Contest will attend Cooperative Leadership Camp. The camp is a week-long expense paid trip at White Lake, NC. At the camp the students set up their own cooperative and run the business. They also have the opportunity to attend a variety of workshops, plus still have time to enjoy leisure activities at the lake.
Bright Ideas
Congratulations to Jennifer Spengeman, WH Robinson Elementary; Donna Staton, Lakeforest Elementary; Heather Waddell, Snow Hill Primary; Karen Gardner, Ayden-Grifton High School. They were this years winners of the Bright Ideas Grant Program.
The Bright Ideas Grant Program is a statewide effort by North Carolina’s twenty-seven Touchstone Energy electric cooperatives to provide additional classroom resources that cannot be met through existing school budgets. Any K-12 certified North Carolina teacher can apply for a grant up to $2000.
This year, North Carolina’s electric cooperatives total contributions to the program were more than $578,000 in grant money. Since 1994, North Carolina’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives have awarded more than $5.9 million to North Carolina teachers for more than 5,400 projects that have touched the lives of more than 1 million North Carolina students in all subjects.
In order to be considered for a Bright Idea Grant, the idea submitted by the teacher should be a unique and innovative way to reach the students and increase their interest in learning.
Creative Teachers Can Apply For 2012-2013 Bright Ideas Education Grants
North Carolina’s electric cooperatives, including Pitt & Greene EMC will begin accepting applications for the 2012-2013 school year on April 2, 2012. Teachers can learn about the program and apply online at www.ncbrightideas.com.
The electric cooperatives’ Bright Ideas program is the only one of its kind in our state exclusively for K-12 teachers. Grants are awarded of up to $2000.00. The deadline for teachers to submit an application is September 21, 2012. Teachers who submit their application by the early-bird deadline will be entered in a drawing for a $500 Visa gift card.
Last year, the state’s electric cooperatives collectively distributed more than $594,000 in Bright Ideas grants, and surpassed $7.3 million dollars in contributions since the program began 18 school years ago.
Bright Ideas grants help finance innovative classroom projects that would otherwise not receive funding. The program has sponsored a wide variety of hands-on projects in all disciplines.
Since its inception in 1994, the Bright Ideas grant program has sponsored more than 7,000 projects benefiting more than 1.3 million students. Cooperatives understand the importance of creativity in the classroom and we’re encouraging innovation through this program.
The primary elements of the online application process include an explanation of the project and its creative elements, as well as its potential benefits to students. A sample application and contact information for program coordinators are available on the Bright Ideas website. The program also has a Facebook page, which features notable projects and regularly updated information.
The Bright Ideas education grant program is part of the electric cooperatives’ ongoing commitment to North Carolina communities. North Carolina’s electric cooperatives serve more than 2.5 million people in 93 of the state’s 100 counties.