S.C. high school students win $5,000 scholarship

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Three South Carolina high school students won $5,000 each in an audio podcast scholarship competition sponsored by South Carolina’s electric cooperatives.

The winners are Abigail Crumley of Pinopolis (Berkeley Electric Cooperative), Emma Rose Radcliff from Pawleys Island (Santee Electric Cooperative) and Natalia Salas of York (York Electric Cooperative).

The three students were among a group of 37 students from across the state who participated this summer in the Cooperative Youth Summit, a four-day leadership experience that offers students the chance to learn more about state government and electric cooperatives—and the role co-ops are playing in the state’s energy future.

The rising juniors and seniors toured Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens, met with state government leaders, explored careers at a distribution cooperative and took rides in all-electric vehicles—all while competing for a $5,000 scholarship.

The winning group was selected by a panel of journalists that included Avery Wilks of The Post and Courier newspaper, Kenneth Moton of ABC News and Dawndy Mercer Plank of WIS News.

In addition to the $5,000 winners, twelve other students from across the state are recognized as finalists in the competition. The twelve finalists are:

  1. Alexandria Stephens of Walterboro (Coastal Electric Cooperative)
  2. Amy Crumley of Pinopolis (Berkeley Electric Cooperative)
  3. Andy Goss of York (York Electric Cooperative)
  4. Cohen Freeman of Estill (Palmetto Electric Cooperative)
  5. Cydney Smith of Simpsonville (Laurens Electric Cooperative)
  6. Davis Lee of Sumter (Black River Electric Cooperative)
  7. Lilah Ell of Myrtle Beach (Horry Electric Cooperative)
  8. Lyle Fulmer of Prosperity (Newberry Electric Cooperative)
  9. Mercy Fletcher of Monks Corner (Berkeley Electric Cooperative)
  10. Olivia Ritchie of Cassatt (Lynches River Electric Cooperative)
  11. Savanna Welch of Aiken (Aiken Electric Cooperative)
  12. Sydney Smith of Lexington (Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative)
  13. Zariyah Fulton of Salters (Santee Electric Cooperative)

All of the students’ podcasts are available here.