The electric cooperative commitment to community goes beyond providing sustainable, reliable and affordable power to cooperative members–it extends to building a brighter future for the next generation of North Carolinians by partnering with statewide and local organizations to support education initiatives, including programs that introduce our state’s youth to the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.
One long-standing partner in this effort is North Carolina 4-H. For more than 10 years, North Carolina’s electric cooperatives have been proud sponsors of N.C. 4-H’s Citizenship North Carolina Focus conference, which gives high school-age 4-H’ers the opportunity to learn about civic engagement, youth advocacy and how to make a difference in their communities. This year we received special thanks from the N.C. 4-H state officer team for our support of this historic event.
Each year, more than 120 high school-age 4-H’ers from across the state gather in Raleigh for the conference. Thanks to the virtual nature of this year’s event, more than 200 youth participated in the three-day conference, representing 56 4-H chapters.
Our state’s electric cooperatives have partnered with North Carolina 4-H for more than 20 years, and during that time, our areas of support have changed to best meet the needs of the organization as they help students build leadership skills, introduce them to STEM fields and encourage them to recognize their unique potential.
North Carolina’s electric cooperatives are excited to explore new and innovative ways we can grow our partnership with local 4-H chapters. As STEM fields grow and evolve, electric cooperatives are poised to provide resources and real-world experiences to local 4-H’ers who are interested in exploring how we are building a brighter future for rural North Carolina in this decade and beyond.
Visit the In the Community section of our website to learn more about our local partnerships and commitment to cooperative communities.