Escambia River Electric Cooperative, Inc. supports its local communities through FECA by providing an all expense paid "power trip" to Washington D.C. for high school students from their respective areas. Students traditionally go to Washington, year after year because electric cooperatives think education is important--education about the cooperative form of business and education about our political process.
Students learn about electric cooperatives, American history, and see their government in action.. They attend educational seminars; learn about the seat of their national government; visit with their representatives in the House and Senate; visit historical sights in Washington--Arlington Cemetery, the monuments, the U.S. Capitol, the Smithsonian, Mt. Vernon-- and countless other places.
EREC provides another avenue for education by bringing about l00 high school students to the seat of state government each year. These students through "Youth to Tallahassee" visit during the annual legislative session to become more familiar with state's political environment. While in Tallahassee, they learn the long process of how laws are made, attend mock legislative sessions where they sit in the seats of House and Senate members, debate political issues, and vote on laws. They meet with their elected House and Senate members to discuss the political process, and visit Florida's Supreme Court to further address how the intent of the constitution is preserved.
EREC believes there is no better way to preserve the integrity of our local communities than to invest in tomorrow's leaders.