North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives recently announced the recipients of this year’s Youth Tour college scholarships. Three scholarships are awarded annually to participants from the previous summer’s NC Youth Tour to Washington, D.C. sponsored by the state’s electric cooperatives.
The Youth Leadership Council Scholarship is awarded each year to North Carolina’s representative on the Youth Leadership Council, a national cooperative program that seeks to develop strong leadership, presentation and advocacy skills in America’s most promising young leaders. The state’s YLC representative is selected from among North Carolina’s Youth Tour participants each year.
Caitlin Finley of Blue Ridge Energy was selected as the 2018 YLC representative based on the votes of her peers following a speech competition held at the Youth Tour orientation last summer, and she will receive a $2,000 college scholarship.
A senior at Caldwell Early College High School in Caldwell County, Caitlin has served as president of the Beta Club, captain of the Quizbowl Team and outreach coordinator for the Environmental Club. She is an active volunteer in her local community, including volunteering her time at local hospitals, retirement communities and elementary schools. Throughout high school she has been part of the Blue Ridge Energy Leadership Track, a co-op program that helps students achieve their goals through leadership education and preparation for college, and she is also a member of the Blue Ridge Energy Caldwell Member Advisory Committee.
The 2019 Gwen B. Price Scholarship winner is Isa Lu of Four County EMC. She will receive $2,500 to go toward her college education.
Isa is a senior at Topsail High School in Pender County. She is a national merit finalist, chapter officer of the school’s Family Career Community Leaders of America club, a leader in the Ecology Club, co-leader of the SAT/ACT Prep Club and member of the National Honor Society.
In her free time, Isa volunteers with Cape Fear River Watch and provides her skills to the Smithsonian Transcription Center.
The 2019 Katie Bunch Memorial Scholarship was awarded to John Wesley Cowand IV of South River EMC, and he will receive $2,000 for college.
A senior at Clinton High School in Sampson County, John is dually enrolled at Sampson Community College and has received honors at both schools. John has previously participated in Beta Club and was the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Ambassador. He is a leader of the Key Club and Science Club, as well as a member of Student Government.
John is a member of the Sampson Community College Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and is on the community college’s President’s List. He has received the Clinton High School Academic Honors Award multiple years in a row.
Learn more about NC Youth Tour and the opportunities it offers high school students from across the state in the In the Community section of our website, or contact your local cooperative. Follow updates and news about the next round of Youth Tour participants at facebook.com/NCYouthTour, or on Instagram and Twitter at @ncyouthtour.