At the close of the 2022-2023 school year, three rising high school juniors or seniors will be able to take part in some great adventures with fellow North Carolina students.

These students will join a contingent of students to travel to Washington, D.C. as part of the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour. Each year, North Carolina students meet thousands of other students from electric cooperatives across the nation.

South River EMC, as one of 26 electric cooperatives across the state, offers this opportunity to area students to be part of this unforgettable experience.

The week of June 17-23, students will visit the sites of Washington, D.C., including historic monuments and museums. They will take a boat ride down the Potomac River, attend an All States Dance and learn more about America’s electric cooperatives. Students also have an opportunity to meet with their congressmen to learn more about how our government works and current issues facing Congress.

North Carolina's students also establish a Soda Pop Co-op, to provide a supply of affordable drinks while in Washington, D.C., with each student paying $1 to become a member of the cooperative. A board of directors is appointed, which hires a manager and assistant manager. At the end of the trip, the cooperative is dissolved and each student is refunded their membership fee and their member refund, or capital credits, based on profits.

Each year, students return with many remarkable stories and memories to last a lifetime. Applications are available for download online at www.sremc.com, click on My Community and then youth programs. For questions, or to request an application, please contact Julie McLeod at 910-892-8071, or jwmcleod@sremc.com. Applications are due by January 17.

South River EMC is a locally-owned and operated electric cooperative, providing electric service to 46,000 homes, farms and businesses in parts of Harnett, Cumberland, Sampson, Johnston and Bladen counties.

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