Children's Book Challenge
SC fourth and fifth-grade students are invited to write and illustrate a children’s book about our electric cooperatives. Winning entries will be awarded cash prizes as well as an opportunity to get published! This year’s challenge focuses on the theme of Co-ops Connect Communities.
For more than 80 years, the electric cooperatives in South Carolina have been transforming lives, families and communities with electricity and community support. We want to celebrate that outstanding history with an opportunity for young people to learn what cooperatives are, how they started and how electricity impacts our lives. The electric cooperatives in South Carolina value education and realize students are the problem solvers of the future. Becoming an energy-literate society is essential to overcoming our future energy challenges. Writing a children’s book on energy allows students to widen their knowledge of our state’s energy possibilities.
Winning Book for the 2025-2026 Theme, "A Day in the Life of a Lineworker"
We’re proud to celebrate this year’s South Carolina Children’s Book Challenge, where fourth and fifth grade students created original children’s books centered around “A Day in the Life of a Lineworker.”
We had the chance to celebrate some incredible young talent right here in our community. York Electric’s Creative Director, Erin Nichols surprised our local winners at their school, recognizing Ajith Balaji and Aviral Pandey of Doby’s Bridge Elementary for their outstanding work.
Their winning book, Callum and the Future Electric Co-op, showcases creativity, imagination, and a thoughtful understanding of the cooperative model.
A special thank you to their teachers, Ms. Sutphin and Ms. Anderson, for supporting and encouraging their students along the way.
We’re incredibly proud of all the students who participated, especially those representing York Electric. Opportunities like this help students connect classroom learning to real-world careers and the people who serve our communities every day. At York Electric, supporting education and investing in the next generation is part of how we serve our members and strengthen our community.
You can read the full book at Story Jumper. For more information about the annual challenge, visit SC Book Challenge.
