| Each year in June
electric cooperatives from all across the United States support
the Electric Youth Tour program, which gives young people the
opportunity to spend an informative week in the nation’s
capital. Kimberly Matherly, Heather Wilkerson, Amanda
Hawthorne, and Ashley Brown represented Mecklenburg Electric
Cooperative in 2011 and were among over 1,500 high school
students from all over the United States who experienced what it
is like to be involved in politics and learned about community
service and today’s pressing issues. The Virginia, Maryland and
Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives (VMDAEC) sponsored
40 young people this year, along with 10 chaperones from 10 of
the VMDAEC electric cooperatives, one of which is Mecklenburg
Electric Cooperative.
Matherly is a senior at
Chatham High School and is the daughter of Gary and Lori Matherly of Chatham. Wilkerson is a at
Randolph-Henry High School and is the daughter of Gary Wilkerson
of Nathalie and Tina Newcomb of Drakes Branch. Hawthorne is a
senior at Brunswick Academy and is the daughter of Dwayne
and Belinda Hawthorne of Alberta. Brown is a senior at
Brunswick High School and is the daughter of Herbert and Audree
Brown of Freeman. Audree Brown comments, “I appreciate the
opportunity my daughter had to go on the Electric Youth Tour and
meet other high-achieving students from across the country. I
thank Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative for the great exposure
and the activities she had a chance to engage in with a positive
group of young ladies and men.”
The groups from Mecklenburg,
Southside and Prince George electric cooperatives took a tour of
the nation’s Capitol guided by one of Congressman Robert Hurt’s
staff members. They also had an opportunity to meet with
Congressman Hurt in his office.
A highlight of the tour was Youth
Day during which all 1,500 students gathered as a group. The
theme was “Our Energy, Our Future.” Motivational speakers
emphasized the difference that young people can make where they
live by volunteering for community projects.
The Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative
(MEC) students were accompanied by Brian Morris, MEC’s member
services/energy-efficiency advisor. He says, “The Electric
Youth Tour is an excellent opportunity for the young people from
each state to meet with their legislators in Washington and see
first-hand the operations of their government.” He adds, “The
young ladies in my group showed much interest and enthusiasm to
learn more about Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative and the role
that cooperatives play throughout the nation.”
While in Washington the group toured
Arlington National Cemetery, National Museum of American
History, the Library of Congress, Madame Tassauds wax museum,
The Kennedy Center, and Mount Vernon.
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