Washington Youth Tour
For more than 50 years, electric cooperatives across the state have recognized outstanding high schoolers by providing a valuable leadership experience, which normally involves sending high achievers on the Washington Youth Tour to spend nearly a week in the nation’s capital. However, due to the pandemic, the Tour was reshaped this year into a virtual three-day event.
Held June 22-24, YTGA offered dynamic and interactive sessions focused on different aspects of leadership - Leadership and Me, Leadership and My Community, Leadership and My Nation - and included personality profiles, small group breakouts, photo contests, trivia challenges and more.
Collin Fillingame and Kameron Dunnings of Americus-Sumter High School (ASHS) were selected to attend the 56th annual Virtual Washington Youth Tour, a once-in-a-lifetime leadership experience made possible through the generosity of the electric membership cooperatives (EMCs) in Georgia, including Sumter EMC.
Collin Fillingame, son of Sumter EMC member LeTitia Williams and brother to Colton (11) and Ashley (27), is an upcoming college freshman.
Collin was active in several school activities at ASHS, including Beta Club, Art Club, Yearbook, and band, where he played the trombone. Collin also played offensive lineman on his high school football team.
Collin says math is his favorite subject in school. The teacher who inspired him the most is Mrs. Williams, who just so happens to be his mother.
In his spare time, Collin enjoys gaming and playing Call of Duty. Collin will begin his freshman year at Morehouse in the fall, where he plans to major in political science and eventually go into business law.
Kameron Dunnings is the son of Sumter EMC members, Ulysses and Sheanette Dunnings. Kameron has an older brother and two younger brothers. He attends New Jerusalem Baptist Church and will be a freshman at college in the fall.
Kameron was active in many activities at ASHS including Beta Club, track and field, football and wrestling.
He was also the recipient of several honors and awards at his school. Kameron was an honor graduate and in 2021 he was a part of the all-region football team. Kameron received a scholarship to play football for LaGrange College.
In his spare time, Kameron enjoys fishing, painting and landscaping. Kameron’s future plans include attending LaGrange College where he plans to major in exercise science and minor in business.
According to Andrea Walker with Sumter EMC, the Youth Tour provided a golden opportunity for student delegates to network and connect with like-minded teens across the state through mentor groups, regional and college-specific breakouts and off-line chats.
Walter Harrison Scholarship
The Walter Harrison Scholarship program was created in 1985 in memory of Walter Harrison, a Georgia and national rural electric co-op pioneer. The statewide scholarship is funded through donations contributed by EMCs throughout Georgia and pays $1,000 to each winner. Recipients can use the scholarship at any two or four-year accredited university or college (including vocational-technical colleges) in Georgia.
Each year, Sumter EMC submits the applications of two local finalists to Georgia EMC. Georgia EMC's scholarship committee judges applications from across the state and selects the final winners. Both financial need and academic ability are used in determining winners. To be eligible, a candidate must reside in the household (primary residence) of a Sumter EMC member.
Contact Whitney Johnson at Sumter EMC, (229) 924-8041, (800) 342-6978, via email to Whitney Johnson, or click one of the links below to view the 2020 scholarship application and criteria for eligibility:
Walter Harrison Scholarship Application
Applications for 2021 must be submitted to Sumter EMC no later than January 15, 2021. Send your completed application to: Whitney Johnson, Sumter EMC, P. O. Box 1048, Americus, GA 31709. Recipients will be announced in May.
FFA Electrification Contest
Sumter EMC is proud to support (along with other Georgia EMCs) participation by local schools in the EMC/FFA Electrification Contest. The wiring contest is a competitive educational program which promotes the safe, efficient use of electrical energy.
For more information, contact Jason Hall, Energy Services Representative for Sumter EMC, or:
- Click here to visit the Georgia FFA Association website.
- Click here to view FFA photos
Young Co-op Couples Conference
Each year Sumter EMC selects a young couple from its service area to represent the Cooperative at the Young Couples Cooperative Conference which is sponsored by the Georgia Cooperative Council, Inc., the South Carolina Council of Cooperatives, and the Cooperative Council of North Carolina. The goals of this unique three-day conference are:
- To provide an opportunity for young couples to gain additional knowledge and insight in the economic and service opportunities afforded by their cooperatives.
- To provide an opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences in leadership needs in their cooperatives and in their communities.
- To provide an opportunity to make new friends.
- To find out what young couples are thinking so cooperatives can better serve their needs.
The ultimate purpose is to strengthen the relationship between cooperatives and participating couples. For more information on the conference, contact our Member Services Department or send an email to Whitney Johnson.
GHSA State Championships
Sumter EMC joins 29 EMCs across the state to announce a partnership with the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) to sponsor more than 80 state championships during the 2020-2021 season. This season marks the 20th consecutive year Georgia's EMCs have been GHSA sponsors.
Long-time supporters of a variety of programs for students, the sponsorship allows Sumter EMC to support student athletes, parents and the entire athletic community. This year's championship games will feature sports ranging from football to track, riflery to basketball. State championships also include literary competitions such as one-act plays and debate.
Plan to attend these great events and bring your family! For a complete calendar of events, visit the GHSA web site at www.ghsa.net .