RALEIGH – The North Carolina Electric Membership Corp. recently sponsored Ansley Sharum, a junior at East Rowan High School, to attend the Cooperative Leadership Camp.

Sharum is an involved and active student. She participates in multiple school and community activities, including musical performances at church and bluegrass jams and volunteer work at Blueline Brotherhood.

Sharum’s interests include guitar, mandolin, ukulele, singing, visual arts, fishing and camping. In addition, she works at Dan Nicholas Park and has participated in JROTC for three years.

After graduating from high school, Sharum plans to attend college to pursue a degree in biology.

The corporation is the power supplier for most of North Carolina’s member cooperatives.

The Cooperative Leadership Camp, hosted by the Cooperative Council of North Carolina, is an educational program for rising high school sophomores through rising seniors. The five-day resident camping program is held in White Lake and features interactive workshops and presentations, team-building activities and recreation.

Corporation member cooperatives are invited to sponsor a high school teenager from their community to participate in the camp, which is free.

Students from across the state come together and learn about how cooperatives are functioning in North Carolina.