Georgia Magazine - September 2016 - 16

NEWS FROM GEORGIA'S ELECTRIC CO-OPS COMPILED BY AMY SCHNEIDER OPC, Green Power support UWG UTeach program STEVEN BROOME F ive years ago, the University of West Georgia (UWG) was named one of three Georgia universities that would receive funds to replicate the UTeach model, the University of Texas at Austin's successful program to prepare math and science teachers. Tucker-based Oglethorpe Power Corp. (OPC) and Green Power Electric Membership Corp. (EMC) have been supportive partners of UWG's UTeach program, which has graduated 20 students who have the potential to reach 3,000 students annually. OPC has been involved since the beginning, serving on the original task force and now on the College of Education Development Council, and has funded 12 scholarships since 2011. In 2015, UWG UTeach hosted its first STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Competition, at which Green Power brought a mobile SunPower for Schools solar-learning laboratory and discussed solar energy with teachers and students. The competition brings current and future teachers together. UTeach differs from other education programs in that its students begin getting classroom experience during their first semester in the program. Taylor Pappas, a senior biology major in secondary education from Heflin, Ala., credits that difference for her switch from nursing. "[Teaching] was intimidating and required a lot of Anne Gaguere-Parker, associate professor of chemistry at the University of West Georgia, is co-director of the university's UTeach program. planning, but seeing the students have their 'Aha!' moment made it all worth it," Pappas says. "UTeach gave me a chance to see if teaching was for me before changing my major." There also are UTeach programs at Columbus State University in Columbus and Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw and Marietta. For more information about UTeach, visit gosa.georgia.gov/uteach. OPC is an electric generation cooperative that provides wholesale electricity to 38 of Georgia's EMCs. Green Power EMC is the renewable energy supplier for the same group of EMCs. -Julie Lineback Georgia student named NRECA Youth Leadership Council national spokesperson 16 DANIEL PECK PHOTOGRAPHY S ylandi Brown of Hawkinsville, Georgia's 2016 Washington Youth Tour representative to the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) Youth Leadership Council (YLC), has been chosen as the national spokesperson. Brown, a delegate from Middle Georgia Electric Membership Corp. (EMC) in Vienna, returned to Washington to participate in the NRECA Youth Leadership Council conference in July. During the five-day conference, the 43 state representatives gained a broader understanding of cooperatives by meeting with cooperative leaders. They also participated in sessions designed to sharpen their speaking, presentation and leadership abilities. Beth Knudson, an education consultant for NRECA, describes Brown as "one of the most magnetic personalities you will ever encounter." As the YLC spokesperson, Brown will speak during the NRECA Annual Meeting in San Diego next year and will return to Washington, D.C., next summer to speak to all the 2017 Youth Tour delegates. As Georgia's YLC representative, she will speak at the Georgia EMC annual From left, Chipper Jones, member services and safety coordinator at Middle Georgia EMC, Sylandi Brown and U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson pause for a photo during the 2016 Washington Youth Tour. meeting in Savannah in November and at the kickoff banquet for the 2017 Georgia EMC Washington Youth Tour next June. "It is such an honor and blessing to represent our incredible Georgia delegation and Youth Tour delegates from all around the nation," Brown says. "This has been an unbelievable week." -Gale Cutler More online at www.georgiamagazine.org GEORGIA MAGAZINE http://gosa.georgia.gov/uteach http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - September 2016