Each summer, the Cooperative Council of North Carolina (CCNC) hosts Cooperative Leadership Camp, a week-long overnight camp for high school youth at the NC FFA Center in While Lake. This year’s camp is being held June 17-21, and includes campers sponsored by 10 electric cooperatives across the state.
Open to rising high school sophomores, juniors and seniors, the camp features interactive workshops and presentations, outdoor recreation, leadership development, team building activities and small group sessions with an emphasis on how cooperatives operate. Representatives from Burgaw-based Four County EMC will also be discussing electrical safety and giving a live line demonstration.
The camp centers on the organization of a T-shirt cooperative, including an election of a board of directors and selection of a manager. Participants are also involved in small group sessions focused on leadership development and team building activities. Other features include a Talent Show, awards night and team competitions.
“Cooperative Leadership Camp aims to build awareness of the cooperative business model while fostering leadership qualities in outstanding high school students from communities across North Carolina,” said CCNC Executive Director Emily Nail. “By experiencing cooperatives first hand, these teens have a unique opportunity to learn both business and personal financial responsibility while also forming new friendships with other young leaders.”
All campers are sponsored by CCNC member cooperatives or Cooperative Extension 4H Clubs. In addition, co-op leadership campers are eligible for the $1,000 Jim Graham college scholarship, which they can apply for their senior year of high school.
Campers participate in the Reality of Money session, which helps teach them how to budget in the “real world.”
Electric cooperatives sponsoring campers this year include: Blue Ridge Energy, Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative, Central Electric, Edgecombe-Martin County EMC, Four County EMC, Lumbee River EMC, Piedmont Electric, Surry-Yadkin EMC, Wake Electric and North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives.
Learn more about Co-op Leadership Camp on the CCNC website, and keep up with their activities throughout the week by following the NC Co-op Council on Facebook or Twitter.