Two of our Virtual Youth Experience students were selected to receive a $500 prize as part ofan audio podcast scholarship competition sponsored by South Carolina’s electric cooperatives.
Matthew Morris of Summerville and Ayoola Oladimeji of Goose Creek were two of the 11 students from Berkeley Electric that competed against other high school students from across South Carolina this summer. All were originally selected for a five-day free trip to Washington, D.C. in June and/or a trip to Columbia in July, where they would connect with other young men and women to learn about electric cooperatives and how their state and federal governments work. The COVID-19 outbreak forced the cancellation of both in-person events. However, the students were able to connect virtually June 19-26.
The overall winners each received a $5,000 scholarship and were selected by a group of journalists that included Craig Melvin of NBC’s TODAY show, Kenneth Moton from ABC’s World News Now, and Cindi Scoppe and Avery Wilks from The (Charleston) Post and Courier newspaper. The three winning students were Grace Johnson from Hartsville (Pee Dee Electric Cooperative), Salena Robinson of West Columbia (Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative) and Mackenzie Starnes of Hilton Head Island (Palmetto Electric Cooperative).
The announcement of the winners can be viewed here:
https://ecscscliving.box.com/s/73jbxisw7cr8te6nhwng2a2i0xrl14kj
All of the students’ podcasts are available here: