Forty South Carolina high schoolers got a crash course in electric cooperatives, democracy and government this summer at the annual Cooperative Youth Summit in Columbia.

Over the course of the week-long summit, hosted by South Carolina’s electric cooperatives, the teenagers rode in bucket trucks, tested electric vehicles and watched linemen work energized lines. They toured South Carolina ETV and CEEUS, ran a cooperative of their own, learned about public policy and competed in a public speaking contest.

The highlight, as always, was the group’s day at the State House. John Frick, CEO of The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, talked with the students about the purpose of government, explained what lobbyists do under the dome, and led them through a hands-on exercise in dealmaking.

"I'd only ever heard ‘lobbyist’ used as an insult," said Tommy Torres, a student sent to the summit by York Electric Cooperative. "Turns out the co-ops need somebody at the State House when a bill comes up that costs their members money."

The students then heard from state Rep. Micah Caskey and state Sen. Russell Ott and met Gov. Henry McMaster during a tour of the State House complex.

The week closed with the Orators' Arena, the summit's public speaking competition. Teams of four delivered short presentations arguing assigned policy positions before their peers and a panel of judges.

The winning team — AJ Johnson and Emiri Rembert of Laurens Electric Cooperative, along with Jazz Smith and Jacob Trussell of Berkeley Electric Cooperative — wowed judges with their case against criminalizing deepfakes. Each winner earned a $1,000 prize.

Johnson said he couldn’t wait to tell his classmates about the experience.

"You come home able to explain how your power gets to your house and how a bill becomes law," Johnson said. "Most people my age can't do either."