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.
Karis Dean, representing Piedmont Electric, was selected as the 2019 YLC representative based on the votes of her peers following a speech competition held during the Youth Tour orientation last summer. She will receive a $2,000 scholarship to go towards her college education.
Youth Leadership Council Scholarship winner Karis Dean.
A freshman at N.C. State University, Karis is a recent graduate of Chapel Hill High School, where she was a member of the National Spanish Honor Society and Tiger Link. She was recognized as an AP scholar in 2018 and 2019, and received the global language endorsement in 2019. Upon returning from Youth Tour, Karis continued her relationship with Piedmont Electric by meeting with staff to discuss youth outreach programs in the community in partnership the cooperative. She is currently studying business and Spanish at N.C. State.
The Gwyn B. Price Scholarship was awarded to Julia McClain, representing EnergyUnited. She will receive a $2,500 scholarship to go towards her college education.
Gwyn B. Price Scholarship winner Julia McClain.
Julia is a junior at South Iredell High School, and is also dual-enrolled at Mitchell Community College. She attended the 2019 Youth Tour on behalf of EnergyUnited. Julia participates in the SIHS student ambassadors, yearbook club, Beta Club, and National Honor Society. She is also a member of the English, Science, Spanish, and Math Honor Society at South Iredell. Julia is a member of Mitchell’s Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and will be a graduation marshal in the spring.
In her free time, Julia takes care of two hives of bees, volunteers with Broad Street UMC Backpack Ministry, and works for PopeMcMillan Law Firm in Statesville, NC.
The Katie Bunch Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Lizzie Phipps, representing South River EMC. She will receive a $2,000 scholarship to go towards her college education.
Katie Bunch Memorial Scholarship winner Lizzie Phipps.
Lizzie is a senior at Hobbton High School. She is also dual-enrolled at Sampson Community College and will graduate high school with her associate degree. Lizzie attended the 2019 Youth Tour on behalf of South River EMC. Lizzie is the president of her school’s HOSA and Key Club. She also serves as Hobbton High’s Beta Club vice president, FFA student advisor, SGA class vice president and FBLA reporter. Lizzie will attend East Carolina University’s honors college and plans to major in biology.
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.