South River EMC is offering a unique experience to two high school students, the Cooperative Leadership Camp (CLC). This program is available to rising sophomores, juniors and seniors, so current year freshman sophomores and juniors.
CLC is a 5-day overnight camp program hosted by the Cooperative Council of North Carolina and sponsored by the electric cooperatives of North Carolina. High School Students from all parts of the state are sponsored to attend for free by a local cooperative or supporting organization. Cooperative Leadership Camp provides up to 120 students cooperative emersion camp each year.
The program is an experiential learning process where the teens form a worker/owner tee shirt cooperative, elect a board, hire a general manager, and design, produce and distribute tee shirts. Throughout the week, they learn about leadership, cooperative governance, and the cooperative business principles. The teams put together Cooperative Principles Skits, have a leadership awards banquet night, and learn what it means to be a part of the greater good that cooperatives offer. The week also includes workshops from a wide range of cooperative industries including the agriculture sector, credit unions, retail, and utilities. Every activity is hands-on and interactive. The overnight camp experience includes swimming, archery, and other fun activities.
The objectives are to educate, connect and promote the cooperative way of doing business and provide a fun learning experience for the students that are selected to attend.
Taking place June 24-28, 2024, this week-long trip to Laurel Hill offers high school students an opportunity to discover how they can make a difference in the world through cooperative business. Teens use this week to work together to solve business challenges and develop leadership and team-building skills. Attendees are also eligible to apply for the $1,000 Jim Graham college scholarship during their senior year of high school.
All meals are included, and lodging is in air-conditioned bunk houses. Students must provide their own transportation to and from the camp.