Irwin EMC tentatively plans to offer an all-expense paid, local, summer youth leadership experience for high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors. By participating in Empower 2021, students will have the opportunity to enhance their leadership skills, engage in team-building exercises, enrich their understanding of cooperatives, and network with students in the region. Students can expect to hear from insightful speakers on topics regarding the cooperative business model and its applicability to young leaders today, explore the many career opportunities in energy, practice leadership in action and, if possible, tour Roosevelt’s Little White House in Warm Springs, GA. From the experience, students will become stronger leaders, empowered to build stronger communities.
If health and safety regulations permit, the program will be held June 13-16, 2021, at the Dooly Campground in Vienna, GA. The program is open to all high school students who live in or attend a school in Ben Hill, Irwin, or Turner County. Students who do not attend school in Ben Hill, Irwin or Turner counties are eligible to apply if their parents are members of Irwin EMC and they live within the cooperative’s service area (Irwin, Ben Hill, Turner, Berrien, Coffee, Worth, Wilcox and Tift counties). For example, a student who lives at a home that receives power from an electric company other than Irwin EMC AND attends Turner County High School is eligible to apply. A student who attends Tiftarea Academy, for example, is eligible to apply only if his or her home receives power from Irwin EMC.
ELIGIBILITY:
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Be a sophomore, junior, or senior in good standing with your school
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The applicant must be 16 years of age by June 13, 2021
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Must have parent’s consent
HOW TO APPLY:
Complete the EMPOWER 2021 form and submit the essay by April 12, 2021. (See Essay Topic and Information Section). Be sure to provide all the information requested.
THE SELECTION OF STUDENTS:
The deadline to apply for Empower 2021 is Monday, April 12, 2021. The application and essay will be judged by Coordinators from other EMCs across Georgia. Once judging is completed, students who are chosen as finalists may be invited for an interview conducted by a panel of judges if an interview process is held. The final selection of our delegates is determined by the combined scores of the application, essay, and (tentative) interview process.