Washington Youth Tour

York Electric offers high school students an exciting opportunity to learn more about our national and state governments through the Washington Youth Tour and Cooperative Youth Summit. YEC also awards valuable college scholarships to high school seniors. Students should apply by the deadlines listed below.

Youth Tour, Summit

Application deadline: Friday, Feb. 25, 2022

During the Washington Youth Tour, high school juniors will experience Washington, D.C., with hundreds of students from across South Carolina and the country, meeting lawmakers and touring all the sights. Your electric co-op will cover your round-trip plane ticket, tours and meals.

The Cooperative Youth Summit allows students to experience South Carolina’s capital like never before. Tour the Statehouse, meet lawmakers and see how co-ops are preparing for our state’s energy future. Plus, there’s plenty of fun with visits to popular Columbia attractions like Riverbanks Zoo & Garden. Your electric co-op will cover all your expenses.

Scholarships

Application deadline: Saturday, March 26

YEC will award one $1,000 Touchstone Energy Scholarship to a graduating senior at each of our 12 area high schools. To apply, you must be a high school senior and a member of YEC. With your application, submit an essay on how businesses can better connect with younger generations.

YEC will also award one $1,000 Technical Advantage Scholarship to a graduating senior attending York Technical College in the fall. To apply, you must be a graduating high school senior planning to study a trade and, with your application, submit an essay on the Ready SC Initiative in South Carolina.

Learn more about these scholarships and apply

Lines tell the story

New high school art competition to highlight cooperative principles

Over 80 years ago, new electric lines told the story of hope and prosperity in the rural areas of York, Chester, Cherokee and Lancaster counties.

York Electric Cooperative was formed to bring power to families, homes and businesses in these rural areas, lighting the way for new beginnings. Like other co-ops that were started across the nation after the Rural Electrification Act was passed, YEC was created on the same seven principles that we still uphold in our business today:

• Open and voluntary membership
• Democratic member control
• Members’ economic participation
• Autonomy and independence
• Education, training and information
• Cooperation among cooperatives
• Concern for community

Through our first high school art competition, YEC challenges high school students ages 15–18 to let their creative lines tell the story of one or more of our founding 7 Cooperative Principles.

Students, using any medium of your choosing, create an original work of art that communicates our principles. You may win $100 and have your work displayed in our main office for an entire year.

All entries are due before Friday, April 8, 2022. Please review the guidelines and rules for the competition and to complete the submission form that will accompany your work.