The winning Virtual Youth Experience podcast team (from left): Grace Johnson from Hartsville (Pee Dee Electric Cooperative), Salena Robinson of West Columbia (Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative) and Mackenzie Starnes of Hilton Head Island (Palmetto Electric Cooperative).
Three South Carolina high school students are winners of $5,000 each in an audio podcast scholarship competition sponsored by South Carolina’s electric cooperatives.
The winners are Grace Johnson from Hartsville (Pee Dee Electric Cooperative), Salena Robinson of West Columbia (Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative) and Mackenzie Starnes of Hilton Head Island (Palmetto Electric Cooperative).
The three students competed against other high school students from across South Carolina this summer. All were originally selected for a once-in-a-lifetime experience—a trip to Washington, D.C.— in June and/or a trip to Columbia in July, where they would connect with other young men and women to learn about electric cooperatives and state and federal government issues. The COVID-19 outbreak forced the cancellation of both in-person events. However, the students were able to connect virtually June 19-26.
During the virtual experience, the students heard from state leaders including Gov. Henry McMaster, U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, Sens. Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott, S.C. Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman and other state leaders. Using interviews from those leaders, the students then worked in groups to create audio podcasts that explained how the COVID-19 crisis and other worldly events affected their lives this year.
The winning group was selected by a panel of journalists that included Craig Melvin of NBC’s TODAY show, Kenneth Moton from ABC’s World News Now and Cindi Scoppe and Avery Wilks from The Post and Courier newspaper.