Walking onto the hardwood of a college arena, surrounded by bright lights and a buzzing crowd, is an unforgettable experience for any young athlete.

For a group of North Carolina middle schoolers this year, that experience came to life at Reynolds Coliseum, the same court where they spent time just five months ago practicing and playing alongside the Wolfpack women’s basketball team.

On Dec. 7, these sports camp scholarship winners — selected by North Carolina’s electric cooperatives to attend the NC State women’s basketball camp this past summer — came together for a reunion and a moment of recognition.

“My daughter’s experience at the NC State women’s basketball camp was amazing,” said Amy Augustine, parent of a 2025 camp scholarship winner. “It really opened her eyes to what life after high school could be and gave her an even bigger goal to reach for.”

For 23 years, North Carolina’s 26 not-for-profit electric cooperatives have awarded scholarships to young women to attend the Wolfpack women’s basketball camp.

These scholarships cover all expenses at the overnight camps, which provide a glimpse into life on a college campus and what it takes to be a Division I athlete.

The instruction and coaching these students received is top-notch. The Wolfpack women’s basketball team is coming off a trip to the Elite Eight and earned a No. 2 seed in last year’s NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament.

Sharing the court with players and coaches of this caliber provides lessons and knowledge that these student-athletes can bring back to their teams and communities.

“We are very grateful that our local electric co-op provides an experience like this for kids in our area, especially for girls. It is very hard to find basketball camps here,” Augustine said. “Camps like this help build skills and show our kids that if they work hard, they can continue to grow. We want to say thank you very much for choosing our daughter for this experience.”

Along with the Wolfpack women’s basketball camp, North Carolina’s electric cooperatives also partner with the UNC men’s basketball team to send middle school students to their annual Carolina Basketball School each summer.

Applications for both basketball camps open Jan. 1, 2026.

To learn more about North Carolina’s electric cooperatives’ support for basketball camp scholarships and other youth initiatives, visit www.ncelectriccooperatives.com/community/sports-camps/.