Power ng
E l e c t ric Cooperatives:
2015
Washington
Youth Tour
Writing
Contest
Brought to you by the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association and its par ticipating cooperatives
Co-op Power
Search What do I need to know before I write my short story?
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Powering potential
E
lectric cooperatives are different from
other utilities. Your locally owned electric
co-op gives a lot back to the community. In
fact, that’s a major part of its business plan. The
Electric Cooperative Youth Tour has brought
high school students to Washington, D.C.,
every June since the 1960s. Electric cooperatives invest thousands of dollars to send high
school students to Washington because it’s
important to the long-term prosperity of their
communities for their leaders of tomorrow to
learn about the political process. Youth Tour
participants return to their hometowns
stronger leaders with confidence that they
can make a difference.
Win a trip and scholarships
O
ne of the main responsibilities of your
electric cooperative is keeping its customers informed. Throughout this booklet,
Write a short story describing how local electric co-ops go “beyond the wires” to help
their rural communities realize their full potential, improving lives across their service
areas while providing safe, reliable, affordable electricity.
you’ll find valuable information detailing the
ways co-ops go beyond merely providing
electricity. They reach out to their communities, especially the local youths, offering valuable programs and resources to ensure
success for their future member-owners. Once
you have read over the information on every
page, you begin the task of writing your short
story. Your prize for showing the benefits of
cooperative power: an unforgettable trip to
Washington, D.C., June 12-18, 2015, with
hundreds of other students your age from
across the country. Not to mention the chance
to help pay for your college education with
scholarships of $3,000, $2,000 or $1,000
awarded by the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association if your story is judged one of
the top three in the state.
The rules
1. Only juniors in high school are eligible to participate.
Short Story Due Date:
2. Every short story must be titled “Electric Cooperatives: Powering Potential.”
3. Submissions must not exceed 900 words, including articles (“a,” “an” and “the”). The
exact word count must be included on your cover page. Entries must be typewritten
and double-spaced.
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Co-op Representative:
Co-op Employee Email:
“I am honored to
be given this
once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity.”
— Denisha Patrick,
Chickasaw Electric
Cooperative and
Tennessee’s
Youth Leadership
Council
representative
Co-op Power
Getting started
B
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Search How do I get started?
e creative in your writing, utilizing the information
in this booklet and your own distinctive voice. Your
writing will be judged on three factors, at right.
Remember, you’re writing a short story, which gives
you more creative freedom than the rigid guidelines of
an essay. Your story should be an entertaining, informa-
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Search Upon what criteria will my short story be judged?
Appropriate treatment of theme and knowledge
of subject: 50%
To gain full credit in this category, you’ll have to effectively weave the information relating to the theme
throughout the short story. Judges will see indications
of additional research, a grasp of what information is
vital to making your story believable and credible and
creative ways of presenting that information.
Originality: 35%
Use a different, entertaining, effective way of presenting information that will educate a reader and
get your points across.
Grammar and composition: 15%
If you need an explanation here, check your English
textbook.
tive description of electric cooperatives.
Just electricity? Think again.
A
n electric cooperative is a member-owned business
with membership open to those who use its services.
It is democratically controlled and operated on a nonprofit basis. Tennessee’s rural communities are served by
23 rural electric systems. All told, they serve more than
1 million homes, farms, schools, churches, hospitals and
other industries across the state. One of the things that
makes rural electric cooperatives stand out above all sup-
pliers of electricity is their devotion to the communities
they serve. Unlike investor-owned utilities (IOUs), co-ops
are not in business to make a profit. Since the co-op’s employees are also its customers and owners, giving of the
cooperative’s time and resources to better the communities it serves only makes sense. A wide array of community-strengthening programs are offered by the state’s
rural electric co-ops, from loans for members to make efficiency upgrades to their homes
Cumberland EMC
Upper Cumberland EMC
Holston EC
Powell Valley EC
to safety presentations to area
Tri -County EMC
Plateau EC
Meriwether Lewis EC
schools to keep children safe
Gibson EMC
around electricity. While rural elecForked Deer EC
Caney Fork EC
Mountain EC
tric cooperatives do offer reliable
Middle Tennessee EMC
Sequachee Valley EC
service at some of the nation’s lowAppalachian EC
Southwest
Tennessee EMC
est rates, their commitment hardly
Fort Loudoun EC
stops there. Each co-op genuinely
Volunteer EC
cares for the residents of its service
Fayetteville PU
Tri State EMC
Chickasaw EC
Duck River EMC
area — its member-owners.
Pickwick EC
Tennessee Valley EC
S
ure, your local electric cooperative supplies your home and school with affordable, reliable electric service. But it’s
about more than keeping your lights on.
As you begin your short story, think of
the following areas where your local electric co-op strives daily to strengthen your
community and ensure its future success.
• Green power and energy efficiency
• Technology
• Youth programs
• Job creation and industrial
development
• Community involvement
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Co-op Power
Electricity THEN & NOW
Accustomed as we are to the finer things
that electricity offers us, we sometimes
forget that the area in which we live,
rural America, was the last to receive the
benefits of electricity. Certainly, rural
America was revolutionized when cooperative electric lines finally eliminated
the isolation imposed by darkness.
THEN
NOW
In the days before electricity came to
rural areas, families kept their food cold
by storing it in cellars or springhouses.
When homes were electrified, refrigerators allowed these families the convenience of having their food inside the
home and helped prevent food spoilage.
THEN
NOW
Can you imagine doing your homework
by the flickering light of a kerosene lamp?
That’s what students in rural areas had to
do before electric lines were run to their
homes. Today, electricity provides students with much more than better light.
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Search How did electric cooperatives come about?
A brief history of electric cooperatives
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Mid-1880s: Electricity was available in many of America’s larger cities, but electrification of rural
areas was deemed infeasible.
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4
May 18,1933: President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Tennessee Valley Authority Act, which helped bring affordable electricity to rural areas.
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1935-1948: Tennesseans formed 23 electric cooperatives to bring electricity
to rural areas.
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2014-2015: Nearly 1,000 rural electric cooperatives, including 23 in Tennessee, provide electricity to 30 million people across the U.S. TVA continues to provide low-cost power generated
by hydroelectric dams, nuclear plants, coal-fired plants and “green energy” sources such as
wind, solar and methane gas through its Green Power Switch program.
Early 1930s: Private power companies still considered it unprofitable to build
lines in rural areas. Without the aid of electricity, the economies of rural areas
were tied exclusively to agriculture.
May 11, 1935: President Roosevelt created the Rural Electrification Administration, which made federal funds available to provide rural electric service.
Power companies showed little interest; leaders of farm organizations proposed the formation of nonprofit electric cooperatives.
1949: Post-war enthusiasm and adaptations of military technology, materials and equipment
propelled rapid growth of rural electrification. By the 1950s, the Tennessee Valley Authority
had become the nation’s largest energy supplier.
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Co-op Power
Search What are the basic building blocks of my electric cooperative?
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Today’s technology
Seven Cooperative Principles
History shows that every generation has life
transformed by, or greatly influenced by, a
particular technology. Examples are railways
and electricity in the 19th century, radio in the
1920s and 1930s, television and computers in
the 1950s and 1960s, video recorders in the
1980s and mobile phones and telecommuni-
cations in the 1990s. Technological changes
in the 20th century transformed medicine,
biotechnology, the handling and transmission of information and transportation. What
will be the “cutting-edge” technology that reshapes our lives in the 21st century? The possibilities are endless.
Owned and operated by those they serve, cooperatives are organized under
a set of guidelines called the Cooperative or Rochdale Principles. Although
much has changed since rural Americans first pooled their resources to
bring power to their homes, the Seven Cooperative Principles still serve as
the basis on which Tennessee’s electric cooperatives are governed, closely
tying cooperatives to the communities they serve.
Geothermal Heat Pumps
• While they cost a little more to buy, CFLs
quickly return that money through lower
monthly utility bills.
• Reduce energy use by half
• Year-round comfort
• No noisy or unsightly outdoor unit required
• Can provide free hot water
Automated Meter Reading
(AMR) Systems
• Give real-time updates on electric system
status
• Among the most accurate metering devices available
• Provide environmental benefits by reducing the number of co-op vehicles that are
on the road
Compact Fluorescent Lamps
(CFL Bulbs)
• Can be applied nearly anywhere that incandescent lights are used, including
three-way and dimmable fixtures
• Use a third of the amount of electricity as
incandescent bulbs
• Last 10 times longer and give off one-quarter the heat of traditional incandescents
Heat Pump Water Heaters
• Provide free cooling and dehumidification
• Reduce carbon dioxide emissions
• Use 50 percent less energy than natural
gas water heating
• Use almost three times less energy than resistance water heating
Electric Cars
• Improved energy efficiency
• Reduce carbon emissions
• Can be recharged at night during off-peak
hours
Electric utilities are staying on the “cutting edge” by promoting products that
are energy-efficient, cost-effective and
environmentally friendly. These products save consumers money, save natural resources and cut down on emissions
and pollutants.
Voluntary and Open Membership
Cooperatives are voluntary organizations, open to all people able to use
their services and willing to accept
the responsibilities of membership.
Democratic Member Control
Cooperatives are democratic organizations controlled by their members,
who actively participate in setting
policies and making decisions.
Members’ Economic Participation
Members contribute equitably to,
and democratically control, the capital of their cooperative.
Autonomy and Independence
Cooperatives are autonomous, selfhelp organizations controlled by
their members.
Cooperation Among Cooperatives
Cooperatives serve their members
most effectively and strengthen the
cooperative movement by working
together.
Concern for Community
While focusing on member needs,
Education, Training and Informaco-ops work for the sustainable detion Cooperatives provide education velopment of their communities.
and training for their members,
elected representatives, managers
Continue reading to discover how
and employees so they can conelectric cooperatives apply these printribute effectively to the developciples to make a difference in their
ment of their cooperatives.
communities.
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Co-op Power
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Search Are there any other resources to help me?
The value of your cooperative
Electric cooperatives do a lot more than just sell electricity — their valuable services help you, the member-owner, spend your energy dollars wisely. Co-ops have built
their solid reputations through continuous improvement of existing services. And you can bet that your co-op is always searching for additional products and services
to benefit you. Read on to find energy services offered by many of Tennessee’s electric cooperatives:
• The Tennessee Valley Authority’s energy right® New Homes Program offers cash incentives
to co-op members who build all-electric homes following energy-saving standards.
• Cut your energy costs and increase your comfort with an electric heat pump, the most efficient heating and cooling system in today’s market. Qualified buyers get low-interest financing, either through TVA’s energy right financing program or through the co-op’s own financing
program. The co-op even sends a heat pump inspector to your home, just to make sure the
heat pump is installed properly and functioning correctly.
• The energy right Home e-Valuation survey is one easy way to assess your current energy use
and make plans to reduce future use. Survey results are evaluated and returned to you, complete with energy-saving recommendations specifically tailored to your home and lifestyle.
Best of all, this service is free!
• Local co-ops encourage residential and industrial customers to participate in the Green
Power Switch from the Tennessee Valley Authority. Members purchase energy generated
using renewable and cleaner energy resources — wind, solar power and methane
gas — in blocks of 150 kilowatt-hours (equal to about 12 percent of a typical household’s monthly use).
• Local cooperatives sponsor the In Concert with the Environment program to teach children about the importance of conserving energy and resources.
• Programs for water heater rebates, zero-interest financing and even free units for new homes
make it more affordable than ever to choose electric water heaters.
• Surge suppression equipment helps protect your appliances and sensitive electronic
equipment from damage caused by internal or external power surges. A co-op employee
checks for proper grounding at your home and makes equipment recommendations suited
to your needs. Two-step protection — meter base and point-of-use devices — can be leased
or purchased.
• Cooperatives work hard to provide uninterrupted electric service, but weather-related outages do occur occasionally. Leased or purchased generators can provide emergency backup service for your home, farm or business. And co-op employees are happy to offer technical
assistance for proper sizing and wiring.
• Security lighting provided by your local electric cooperative helps you feel safer and enjoy
outdoor nighttime activities. Photocell-activated lighting is installed on your property and
maintained by the co-op for only a few dollars per month.
Visit these Web sites to learn more about specific programs offered by electric cooperatives:
Appalachian Electric Cooperative
www.aecoop.org
Forked Deer Electric Cooperative
www.forkeddeer.com
Mountain Electric Cooperative
www.mountainelectric.com
Caney Fork Electric Cooperative
www.caneyforkec.com
Fort Loudoun Electric
Cooperative www.flec.org
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association www.nreca.org
Gibson Electric Membership
Corporation www.gibsonemc.com
Pickwick Electric Cooperative
www.pickwickec.com
Chickasaw Electric Cooperative
www.chickasaw.coop
Cumberland Electric Membership
Corporation www.cemc.org
Duck River Electric Membership
Corporation www.dremc.com
Electric Power Research Institute
www.epri.com
Fayetteville Public Utilities
www.fpu-tn.com
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Holston Electric Cooperative
www.holstonelectric.com
Meriwether Lewis Electric
Cooperative www.mlec.com
Middle Tennessee Electric
Membership Corporation
www.mtemc.com
Plateau Electric Cooperative
www.plateauelectric.com
Powell Valley Electric
Cooperative www.pve.coop
Rural Utilities Service
www.usda.gov/rus/
Sequachee Valley Electric
Cooperative www.svalleyec.com
Southwest Tennessee Electric
Membership Corporation
www.stemc.com
Tennessee Council of
Cooperatives
http://tennesseecouncilofcoops.org
Tennessee Valley Public Power
Association www.tvppa.com
Tri-County Electric
Membership Corporation
www.tcemc.org
Tennessee Electric
Cooperative Association
www.tnelectric.org
Tri-State Electric
Membership Corporation
www.tsemc.net
Tennessee Valley Authority
www.tva.gov
Upper Cumberland Electric
Membership Corporation
www.ucemc.com
Tennessee Valley
Electric Cooperative
www.tennesseevalleyec.com
Volunteer Energy Cooperative
www.vec.org
Co-op Power
Search How do electric cooperatives help their members and the environment?
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How to reduce energy use
You’d probably be hard-pressed to think of another industry that actually encourages consumers to use less
of its product. But a variety of programs from Tennessee’s electric cooperatives advise member-owners
on how to conserve energy and use the electricity they
buy as effectively and efficiently as possible, lowering
members’ bills and delaying necessary costly expansion
of the nation’s electric grid to accommodate the continual rise of energy demand.
Gaining control of their electric bills starts with
members learning all they can about energy conservation and efficiency. While they’re not the
same thing, they are close relatives, and electric
co-ops gladly assist members to teach them how
each can help.
Conservation occurs when we reduce total
consumption of electricity, often achieved by
simply turning off anything that consumes electricity when not needed.
Energy efficiency occurs when we replace or upgrade the essentials in our
lives (e.g., appliances, lighting, insulation), allowing us to realize the same
benefit with less electricity.
With help from the Tennessee Valley Authority’s energy right®
program, local co-ops are assisting members with free energy audits. Co-ops and TVA
also offer in-home energy evaluations. Certified
evaluators perform inspections of members’
homes and make specific recommendations to
help the members save energy. Both programs
provide homeowners with customized, detailed
reports that pinpoint the sources of
major energy use and offer suggestions on how members could use
that energy more efficiently.
Cooperatives encourage all their
members to find out how they use
electricity and take steps to be
more efficient. The cumulative effect of small steps in homes and
businesses will have a direct impact on our nation’s entire electric
grid — reducing demand during
peak periods, cutting emissions of greenhouse gases
and lowering overall costs to co-ops and their memberowners. Energy efficiency also helps manage load
growth and delays the need to build new electric generation facilities.
methane gases to their distribution
mixes.
The Tennessee Valley Authority and
electric co-ops, working in
cooperation with the environmental community,
developed Green Power
Switch, a renewable energy initiative to bring green power to
Valley consumers.
Green Power Switch is sold to residential consumers in 150-kilowatt-hour
blocks (about 12 percent of a typical
household’s monthly energy use). Each
block adds $4 to the customer’s
monthly power bill.
TVA built the first commercial
wind-powered turbines in the Southeastern U.S. on Buffalo Mountain in
Anderson County. Solar generation
sites are located in the service areas
of participating public power companies. And methane gas is providing power at the
Allen Fossil Plant in Memphis.
Distributors and TVA also work with customers
through the Generation Partners program, which
provides technical support and incentives for the installation of renewable generation systems.
Green programs
With advancements in technology coupled with
growing concerns of greenhouse gases emitted in
the generation of electricity, renewable energy
sources have been getting a lot of attention from elected representatives, electricity consumers and energy
distributors. Much research and development remains to be done before large
portions of our electricity mix is supplied by more “green” sources of energy.
But Tennessee’s electric cooperatives
and the Tennessee Valley Authority are
adding increasing amounts of power
generated by the wind, sun and
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Co-op Power
Search What do cooperatives do for their communities?
The many faces of your cooperative
Your electric co-op does a lot more for you and your community than just deliver electricity to homes and businesses. Clockwise from right: Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation donates to local causes like the Boys and Girls Club through its
Customers Care program; Holston Electric Cooperative partners with other community
organizations to sponsor an annual lake cleanup; Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative
sponsors youth sports teams; Gibson Electric Membership Corporation and Tennessee’s
other electric co-ops send employees to 4-H Electric Camp to educate seventh- and
eighth-graders on electricity and basic sciences; and Caney Fork Electric Cooperative
employees visit area schools for job counseling and safety demonstrations.
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Co-op Power
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Search How do electric cooperatives keep members informed?
Empowering members
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association distribute information through member newsletters and publications
like The Tennessee Magazine. Each month for more than 50 years, the magazine has
brought entertaining features, electricity information and local electric cooperative
news to more than 500,000 co-op member-owners across Tennessee. Every issue has
articles and graphics on energy efficiency and electrical safety that cooperative mem-
Duck River Electric Membership Corporation — Your Touchstone Energy Cooperative
bers can use to take control of their electric bills by effectively
using the energy they’re buying while staying safe.
View past issues at your cooperative’s website, or call
your co-op to request a paper copy.
Below are two such articles found on the pages of past
issues of The Tennessee Magazine:
Power line safety
Power lines bring electricity from generating plants to our communities and into our
homes. Here are some basic rules about power line safety:
• Never climb power poles or transmission towers. A typical overhead distribution
line has 7,200 volts per wire. Voltages on major transmission lines are as high as
500,000 volts. Either can deliver a deadly shock.
• Never climb trees near power lines. The human body is an excellent conductor of
electricity, and you could become its path from the lines to the ground.
• Stay away from downed power lines. Always assume a downed power line is live
and life-threatening. Keep children and pets away from downed lines. Do not attempt to remove a person or animal caught in power lines. Do not attempt to re-
move tree limbs or other objects from a downed line. Warn others to stay away and
call your electric cooperative.
• Never drive over a downed power line or under a low-hanging line.
• Beware of downed lines touching a vehicle. Stay away from the vehicle and the line.
If a power line hits your car while you’re inside, stay put and wait for help. If the car
catches fire, then jump clear without touching metal and the ground at the same
time. Shuffle away, keeping both feet on the ground.
• Keep ladders, antennas, kites and poles away from power lines. Weatherproofing on
overhead wiring is not insulation. If you are holding any of these items and they
come into contact with a power line, you could receive an electrical shock.
Efficiently use appliances to save energy
Whether you have the newest, most efficient electric appliances or you’re hanging
onto some that practically qualify as antiques, you can use them smarter so they
waste less energy.
Here are some free and easy ways to cut waste — and your energy bill:
• Move your refrigerator away from the stove, dishwasher and heating vents.The heat from
those devices makes the refrigerator work harder to stay cold, so it runs less efficiently.
• If your refrigerator’s coils are exposed, vacuum them every three months. When dirt
builds up on the coils, the appliance has to use more energy to keep your food cold.
• Repair the gaskets on your refrigerator’s door if they come loose. Damaged gaskets let
cold air leak out of the refrigerator.
• Stop rinsing dishes by hand before you load them into the dishwasher, especially if
yours has a pre-rinse or rinse/hold cycle. Simply scrape leftover food from the plates
and let the dishwasher do the rest.
• Set your dishwasher to its “energy-saver” feature and leave it there so it saves energy
every time you use it.
• Match the size of your pots and pans to the size of the stovetop burner you’re using.
Placing a small pot on a large burner wastes a lot of heat.
• Cover pots and pans with lids so you can cook at a lower burner setting.
• Select the “small load” setting on your washing machine when you don’t have enough
laundry to fill the tub. At that setting, less water will flow into the washer.
• Clean your clothes dryer filters after each load. This not only keeps the appliance from
overheating and working too hard, it can prevent a fire.
• Set your water heater to 120 degrees. That’s hot enough, even though some manufacturers preset theirs to 140 degrees.
• Use a programmable thermostat to heat and cool your home. You’ll save money on
your electric bill by giving your heating and air unit a break while you’re away.
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Co-op Power
Search Can I read a sample of past winners’ short stories?
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Last year’s first-place winner:
Kai Starmer of Munford, a student at Munford High School, was the state winner of the 2014 Washington Youth Tour Writing Contest. As the top winner, Kai, part of
the Southwest Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation Youth Tour group, also won a $3,000 scholarship to use at the college of his choice.
‘Electric Cooperatives: Serving Our Members Past, Present and Future’
Ebenezer Scrooge absolutely despised the idea of electric cooperatives. and peered inside, only to be met face to face with a figure that appeared to
“What on Earth could they possibly offer me? They have never helped me, be made of glowing blue bolts of electricity.
“I am the ghost of electricity’s present,” declared the figure, his voice oozand the only thing they do is drain my pocketbook trying to get me to be
‘cost-effective’ and to ‘conserve energy.’ It’s all humbug, I say!” At that, Scrooge ing electrified power, “and you have much to learn about what your electric
cooperative does for you.” “W-well, I’ll admit,” Scrooge stammered, despermarched upstairs and went to bed.
When the clock struck midnight, Scrooge awoke with a start. As he stared ately trying to keep from shaking, “these cooperatives do seem to have
into the gloom, a flickering figure like the light from Thomas Edison’s first helped this area in the past, but they haven’t helped me at all in the present
lightbulb materialized before him. “Wh-who are you?” whimpered Scrooge. day,”
“Come; let me show you just how wrong you are.”
“Are you some sort of d-demon?”
As he said this, the ghost wrapped the pair in a cloak of electricity, and the
The figure’s voice hissed like a kerosene lamp. “I am the ghost of electricity’s past, here to show you exactly what electric cooperatives have done for two shot out the window like a bolt of lightning to the roadside. The ghost
you.” The ghost touched Scrooge’s arm, instantly transporting them to an old gestured toward some workers near a power line.
“Look here,” he said.“These workers from the electric cooperative work day
farmhouse.
“Scrooge, this is your home,” said the ghost, “85 years ago, before elec- and night to make sure you have power 24/7. When power lines are damaged, the electric cooperative has these men and women rush
tric cooperatives ever existed in this area.”
out to the site as soon as possible and restore power.”
“But look at that little girl! She’s doing her chores in the
“Well, of course they would,” Scrooge retorted.“It only makes
dark!” Scrooge exclaimed.“Why doesn’t she turn on the light?
sense to fix damaged property; it reduces the amount of time
Surely electricity was invented by 1929.”
out of service and saves money. They just want to make money,
“Invented, yes,” said the ghost,“but electricity will not reach
just like with all of their costly projects.”
this area for another six years, after President Roosevelt creThe ghost frowned. “That is another thing you seem to be
ates the Rural Electrification Administration in 1935. The REA
ignorant about. Electric cooperatives are nonprofit, democrathelped create the electric cooperatives you see today, and
ically run and completely voluntary organizations that are
those cooperatives are what brought these rural areas out of
composed of the people they serve. All the cooperatives want
the dark. In less than 20 years after the REA is formed, 90 perto do is save you money, even if that requires spending a little
cent of all farms will have electricity.”
bit. For instance, you can take the free Energy Right Home e“I never knew,” Scrooge muttered incredulously.
Valuation or even an in-home energy evaluation to see exactly
“No, you did not, and you are not done learning yet. I am
by Kai Starmer,
what you can do to conserve power and money in your home.”
the first of three ghosts that will come to educate you,
Munford
“Well, I do like saving money,” chuckled the old miser. “But I
Scrooge.”
High School
still don’t see the point in being eco-friendly.”
At that, the ghost touched Scrooge’s arm and left him alone
“You will, Scrooge, you will. Now return to your home and
in his room with nothing but darkness and an odd crackling
Southwest Tennessee
Electric Membership
see what the future has to offer.”
sound coming from the next room. Scrooge crept to the door
Corporation service area
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Co-op Power
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Search Who won scholarships in last year’s short-story contest?
2014 Second- and Third-Place Winners
Emily Fleeman of Savannah, which is in the
Tennessee Valley Electric Cooperative service
area, was last year’s second-place winner. The
Hardin County High
School student won a
$2,000 scholarship to the
college of her choice.
With a bright flash of light, Scrooge reappeared in his doorway. As he tried
to find his way back to bed, the ceiling began glowing white. When the light
reached its apex, a hooded figure cloaked in a shroud that glowed like a fluorescent lightbulb descended before him.
“I suppose you’re the ghost of electricity’s future?” asked Scrooge. “All right
then, show me. What exactly does the future have in store?”
Without a word, the ghost touched Scrooge’s forehead, and Ebenezer was
flooded with visions of appalling electric bills and nonrenewable resources
completely exhausted.
“It can’t be!” exclaimed Scrooge. “Tell me, spirit: Is there no way to stop this
calamity?”
The ghost touched Ebenezer once again, and visions of hope flashed before his eyes. Electric cooperatives united the entire country with cheap
Sarah Terry of Gadsden
received third place in
2014 and was awarded
a $1,000 scholarship.
Sarah is a student at
Crockett County High
School. She represented
Gibson Electric Membership Corporation.
electricity made from
renewable resources
like hydroelectric dams.
All cooperative members joined in the Green Power Switch to use this renewable energy and
used the power of energy evaluations to save power and money. The world
stayed green, people saved money and electricity powered the world into
the future.
When Ebenezer’s vision cleared, he found himself alone, lying on his bed.
‘’Oh, thank you, spirits!” he proclaimed. “Now I realize what good the electric cooperatives have done, serving their members in the past and present. With their help, I’m going to conserve energy and create a brighter
future for our world. I suppose cooperatives aren’t such humbug after all!”
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Co-op Power
Search How long has Tennessee participated in the Washington Youth Tour?
Tennessee celebrates 50 years of Youth Tour
his year, we celebrate 50 years of Tennessee’s involvement in the Washington Youth Tour. The annual event continues a tradition that began following
a speech by then-Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson at the 1957
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Annual
Meeting in Chicago. The future president urged electric cooperatives to send their young people to the nation’s capital to remind members of Congress that
electric co-ops are more than just poles and wires —
they are people.
Co-ops and their statewide associations staggered
their visits the first few years, and NRECA began coordinating the program in 1964. Since then, attendance
has grown steadily.
Tennessee began participation with the 1965 Youth
Tour. Here, in commemoration of a half-century of providing unforgettable opportunities for our youth, we’ve
included photos from that 1965 capital trip.
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Co-op Power
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A
t right, clockwise from top left, are some of
the many sights you’ll see during your six-day
trip to Washington, D.C: meetings with legislators
at the U.S. Capitol, a wreath-laying ceremony at
the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National
Cemetery, the Washington National Cathedral,
Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and
Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello.
A typical day in D.C.
7 a.m.
8 a.m.
11 a.m.
Noon
2 p.m.
2:45 p.m.
4:30 p.m.
5:15 p.m.
8:30 p.m.
9 p.m.
11 p.m.
Breakfast at Hotel
NRECA Youth Day Program
Lunch at Pentagon City Food Court
Tour Smithsonian Institution
Depart Smithsonian
Arrive at Washington National Cathedral
Depart Washington National Cathedral
Arrive for VIP Tour of the Capitol
Depart Capitol
Nighttime Monument Tour
Lights Out
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Co-op Power
Search What have others said about the Washington Youth Tour?
A few last words
from the 2014 Youth Tour
“The Youth Tour is an amazing program.
We learned about our nation and ourselves,
explored Washington, D.C., and grew in
knowledge and in our abilities. The Youth
Tour allows students to realize their potential as the future leaders of the United States.”
— Emily Fleeman, Tennessee Valley Electric Cooperative
“‘Trip of a lifetime’ only begins to define this
awesome adventure. All of the monuments
and history are amazing, but the memories
and friends that were made make this trip
100 percent better. This is a trip that defines a
lifetime.”
— Caleb Johnson, Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation
“This was truly the trip of a lifetime. Not
only have I gained insight to our government, I’ve made my voice and the
opinions of other teenagers heard.”
— Nycollette Helms, Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative
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More than 130 students representing 22 electric
cooperatives and one municipal system across
the state participated in the 2014 Youth Tour.
Here’s what some of them had to say about
their experiences.
Several Youth Tour participants also auditioned to represent Tennessee on the Youth
Leadership Council, select students — one from each state — who attend various
cooperative meetings to hone their leadership skills. Ripley’s Courtney Biggs (above
with Tennessee Sens. Bob Corker, center, and Lamar Alexander), a part of the Chickasaw Electric Cooperative Youth Tour group, was chosen as Tennessee’s representative. Her responsibilities include attending the 2014 Tennessee Electric Cooperative
Association Annual Meeting in Nashville and representing the state at National Rural
Electric Cooperative Association events.
Co-op Power
Search What have others said about the Washington Youth Tour?
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“While I have visited Washington D.C. before, it was an amazing privilege to be a
part of this trip. Seeing our nation’s capital,
no matter how many times, is breathtaking.
I am very happy to have gone on this trip,
and I can say that, without a doubt, it is the trip of a lifetime.”
— Kai Starmer, Southwest Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation
“This was truly the trip of a lifetime. It provided many opportunities to meet many
outstanding people, make connections and
learn about our great country — all while
having fun!”
— Colton Singleton, Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative
“Youth Tour really is the opportunity of a
lifetime. It was amazing, and I will never forget it. I can't thank my electric cooperative
enough for providing me and other students
with this amazing opportunity.”
— Sarah Terry, Gibson Electric Membership Corporation
‘THE Trip of a Lifetime’
Each day of the Washington Youth Tour brings more impressive sights, opportunities for photos
and lots of memories. Among activities filling the agenda are tours of Washington, D.C, and all
its landmarks and memorials. Clockwise from top left, students snap a “selfie” with Rep. Marsha
Blackburn, pose outside the Smithsonian Institution Building and point toward the U.S. Capitol
Building.
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