At Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation we talk a lot about the services we provide to you, our members- home energy audits, convenient billing options, and events like our annual meeting and other activities. But many of our value-added benefits are directed at a younger audience: children.
It’s important that we support our youngest members, not only to enrich their lives, but also to instill in them the importance of cooperative membership. After all, these youngsters will one day become community and possibly co-op leaders.
Each year CEMC awards 10 college scholarships of $1,000 each to well-deserving graduating seniors across our service area. High school juniors have the opportunity to attend the annual Rural Electric Youth Tour, in which CEMC sponsors 12 students on a weeklong educational excursion to Washington D.C. each June.
This once-in-a- lifetime opportunity is an expense-paid trip awarded to students who write winning short stories titled “Electric Cooperatives: iPower the Future.”
For children of all ages, we provide safety demonstrations. CEMC employees visit numerous schools each year bringing the message of electrical safety. Students are always fascinated to see the high- voltage demonstrations, but our main concern is communicating how dangerous electricity can be if not treated properly.
In addition, CEMC sends several sixth and seventh grade students to 4-H Electric Camp in Knoxville each June. Students who attend the camp learn electric safety as well as the science of electricity in general. Campers are given the opportunity to use the skills they learn by making battery testers, electric lamps, electric motors, etc.
Electric cooperatives are proud to be involved in the schools and communities we serve. Outreach with youth and improving the quality of life in our communities is just one more way CEMC looks out for you.
