March 2017

Grady EMC was formed by the local community, for the purpose of helping to improve life in South Georgia by bringing power into our rural communities.  Over 75 years later, we continue to look for ways to invest in the future of our communities.

We are proud to partner with Georgia EMC in offering the prestigious Walter Harrison Scholarship.  Created in 1985, this $1,000 scholarship honors the late Walter Harrison, a rural electrification pioneer and electric cooperative leader.  The scholarship is available to any college level student, regardless of age, and is awarded to students who demonstrate exceptional academic performance.  Grade point average, SAT scores, academic standing, scholastic honors and financial need are all considered when determining eligibility.

Grady EMC reviews applicants from our local community and then forwards our finalists to Georgia EMC.  Georgia EMC’s scholarship committee judges applications from across the state and selects the final winner.

Since 1985, Georgia’s electric cooperatives have awarded $162,500 to 173 students via the Walter Harrison Scholarship program.

For information on the Walter Harrison Scholarship, please contact Grady EMC at contact@gradyemc.com.

The Electric Cooperative Youth Tour has brought high school students to Washington, D.C. every June since the late 1950s.  Students apply and are selected for this program by their local electric cooperative. We believe that students should see their nation’s capital up close, learn about the political process and interact with their elected officials.

The featured speakers during Youth Day provide insight to the important roles electric cooperatives play in their community. Students gain a personal understanding of American history and their role as a citizen by meeting their Representative and Senators.  Nearly 50,000 students from rural areas and small towns across America have participated in this program. Grady EMC has participated in this program for more than a quarter of a century.

For more information on how your rising senior can participate in the Washington Youth Tour, contact your school’s guidance counselor.  For more information on the Washington Youth Tour, visit the NRECA’s website on the Tour by clicking on this link.

Grady EMC’s Live Line Demonstration is an interactive presentation designed to educate participants about the power distribution system.  This mobile unit can be brought to your location and the presentation can be tailored to any age level.

Grady EMC’s Live Line Demonstration is perfect for:

FIRST RESPONDER & PUBLIC SAFETY TRAINING

Through this presentation, fire departments and emergency response teams learn to react quickly and safely to emergencies involving electricity.

SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES

School students learn to respect the power of electrical lines through this very dynamic, fun and educational program. Because of its energetic delivery, this demonstration has amazing information retention levels.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Because of its unique, fun and exciting presentation, the Live Line Demo is a sure way to add a spark to your fair, festival, carnival, farm day or other community event.

If you would like more information or if you would like to schedule a live line demonstration, contact Grady EMC at media@gradyemc.com.

One of the many roles of a rural electric cooperative is to help educate our members about the safe and efficient use of electricity.  One of the ways that Grady EMC fulfills this role is through the EMC/FFA Electrification Career Development Event.  For more than four decades, Georgia’s FFA and Georgia EMCs have partnered to host this educational initiative which offers students a way to reinforce electrical wiring being taught in the vocational agriculture education program and to provide high school students the opportunity to become more knowledgeable about electric energy.

Any active FFA member who is a high school sophomore, junior or senior is eligible to participate in local contests with winners advancing to district and statewide contests.   Winners receive incentives like hand tools and college scholarships, but all participants walk away with increased confidence and skills that they can use to begin an exciting and rewarding career in the electrical field.

For more information on how to participate, contact your school’s FFA Coordinator or you can contact us at contact@gradyemc.com.