2008 Washington Youth Tour
Contest Schedule

• Application and information packets available from Southern Rivers Energy January 1- February 20, 2008
• Completed applications and letters of recommendation due back to Southern Rivers Energy February 20, 2008
• Study packets issued to all applicants the week of February 20
• Testing & Interviews March 10, 2008 (At the Southern Rivers Energy office at 4:30 p.m. - dinner will be provided) 
• Winners Announced March 10, 2008 (After interviews are finished and scores are tallied)
• 2008 Washington Youth Tour June 12 - June 19, 2008

Applications available January 1, 2008 (pdf)
Applications available January 1, 2008 (MS Word)

The Washington Youth Tour:

Interested in the Trip of a Lifetime? The 2008 Washington Youth Tour Contest is Right around the Corner!

The Washington Youth Tour is a leadership opportunity and educational experience like no other. Sponsored by local electric cooperatives like Southern Rivers Energy, this trip is awarded to exceptional high school juniors who compete for a chance to tour Washington, D.C. along with more than 100 other teens from across the state and more than 1400 teens from across the country!

Highlights include visits to:

• The Little White House in Warm Springs, GA
• Mt. Vernon
• Arlington National Cemetery
• Ford’s Theatre
• Smithsonian Institution Museums
• Lincoln, FDR and Jefferson memorials
• Holocaust Museum
• World War II, Korean and Vietnam Memorials

The contest consists of a written test comprised of 50 multiple choice, True-False, fill in the blank and essay questions covering topics such as the history of rural electrification, Southern Rivers Energy, the basics of how electricity works, electrical safety, and the cooperative business model.

Students are given a study packet of material two weeks before the contest and the highest scoring individuals on the written test go on to participate in an interview where the winners are then chosen based on personality, leadership qualities, school activities, community service and academics.

If you are interested in applying for or learning more about the 2007 Washington Youth Tour, contact , by phone at 770-358-1383 ext. 332 or toll free at 877-358-1383.

*The winners will be required to speak at the Southern Rivers Energy Annual Meeting on August 19, 2008.

EMC/FFA Electrification Career Development Event:

The EMC/FFA Wiring Contest is a program of the Agricultural Education program of the Georgia Department of Education - organized as a Career Development Event through local FFA chapters and sponsored by the Electric Membership Corporations of Georgia. Participants can win scholarship funds to use at any college, university or vocational school in Georgia.

The contest is designed to reinforce the electrical wiring being taught in the vocational agriculture education program, and to provide high school students the opportunity to become more knowledgeable about electric energy. Students also learn more about the EMCs expanding role in meeting Georgia's electrical energy needs.

The contest is open to high school sophomores, juniors and seniors. Prizes are awarded for contest winners at district and state levels, including scholarships. To learn more about the EMC/FFA Electrification Career Development Event, please contact Southern Rivers Energy at 770-358-1383 or toll free 877-358-1383 for more information or ask your local high school's FFA Advisor.

Cooperative Youth Conference:

Each year Southern Rivers Energy selects a student to attend the Georgia Cooperative Council's Youth Leadership Conference, a three-day event held each July at the FFA Camp in Covington. Participants develop leadership skills while learning about the role of cooperatives. All conference fees for participating youth are covered by Southern Rivers Energy.

Through teambuilding exercises, personality assessments and an in-depth look into the cooperatives, the conference provides leadership training for participants, explores the cooperative way of doing business and heightens awareness of cooperatives in Georgia. Participants also have the opportunity to enjoy horseback riding, canoeing and swimming.

For further information about the Youth Leadership Conference, please contact Southern Rivers Energy's Communications Specialist at 770-358-1383 ext. 332.

Young Couples Cooperative Conference:

The Young Co-op Couples Conference is a three-day retreat held at Ocean Creek Plantation in Myrtle Beach, SC every November for couples between 21 and 41 years of age. Participants gain valuable insight about the economic and service opportunities available at their cooperatives, exchange ideas and leadership experiences, make new friends and determine important issues pertinent to young couples to better serve their needs.

Participants meet representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the University of Georgia, North Carolina State University, Southern States Cooperative, Gold Kist, Inc., Farm Credit Banks, dairy, rural telephone cooperatives and electric membership cooperatives.

Georgia's EMCs and the Georgia, North and South Carolina Cooperative Councils sponsor the conference. To qualify, participants must be between 21 and 40 years of age. For further information about the conference, please contact our Communications Specialist at 770-358-1383 ext. 332.