Nine Upstate high school students are preparing for what’s being called a “trip of a lifetime,” sponsored by Laurens Electric Cooperative. In January, juniors and sophomores were encouraged to apply for an all-expenses-paid trip to either Washington, D.C., or Columbia, South Carolina, where they will represent Laurens Electric and learn more about cooperatives.
Six juniors, from Simpsonville to Spartanburg, will join more than 1,400 students from across the country for a weeklong stay in Washington this June. While there, they’ll meet legislators and tour historic sites.
Sara Beth Field of Laurens
Silas Hall of Simpsonville
Kourtnee Henderson of Simpsonville
Amirah Hill of Clinton
Beni Igisigo of Spartanburg
Aaliyah Scott of Cross Hill
Three sophomores were selected to attend a three-day, two-night event in Columbia, SC in July.
Antonio Johnson of Spartanburg
Jace Madison of Spartanburg
Emiri Rembert of Simpsonville
All nine students will also have the opportunity to compete for scholarships of up to $5,000.
Laurens Electric President and CEO Matthew Stanley said in a statement that the cooperative is committed to educating high school students on American and state history, as well as the business principles of electric cooperatives.
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Official press release below:
Laurens Electric awards local students the ‘trip of a lifetime’
Six local high school juniors and three sophomores are the winners of expense paid trips this summer, sponsored by Laurens Electric Cooperative.
11th graders Sara Beth Field of Laurens, Silas Hall and Kourtnee Henderson of Simpsonville, Amirah Hill of Clinton, Beni Igisigo of Spartanburg, and Aaliyah Scott of Cross Hill will attend the Washington D.C. Youth Tour with students chosen by other South Carolina co-ops where they will join more than 1,400 young people from across the country. The nation's electric cooperatives sponsor the one-week event each June.
During their stay in Washington, the students - or delegates of the cooperative - will visit with legislators and tour sites of historical significance.
South Carolina’s electric co-ops also sponsor a state-level trip, similar to the Washington Youth Tour, called Cooperative Youth Summit.
Laurens Electric will be represented by 10th graders Antonio Johnson and Jace Madison of Spartanburg, and Emiri Rembert of Simpsonville on the three-day, two-night event in Columbia in July.
Youth Summit students will engage in activities designed to teach them about electric cooperatives and the co-op business model, as well as how state government works.
Both Youth Tour and Youth Summit attendees will have the opportunity to compete for up to $5,000 in scholarships.
Students were selected from a group of local high school juniors and sophomores who completed an application and were interviewed by a panel of judges.
“We support these trips as part of our commitment to the young people in our service area, and to educate high school students about American and state history and government, as well as the history and business principles of electric cooperatives,” said Matthew Stanley, Laurens Electric’s President and CEO.
“Many past attendees have told us this was the trip of a lifetime. Congratulations!”
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Laurens Electric Cooperative serves 65,000 member-owners in Laurens, Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, Newberry, Union, and Abbeville counties. Since 1939, the co-op has been dedicated to being the provider of choice for energy and related services in the Upstate.