News Release

Local Students Honored in Walton EMC Sponsored Electrificaton Event

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 28, 2007

Contact Greg Brooks, 770/266-2307

Contact Heather Maynard, 770/266-2307

MONROE, Ga. – FFA members from Oconee, Walton and Morgan counties tested their electrical skills at the Sub-Region FFA-EMC Electrification Career Development Event

Vaughn Collett of Oconee County High School demonstrated his ability to complete an electric circuit, taking first place in the FFA/EMC Electrification Contest for the second year in a row.

(CDE) at Walton Electric Membership Corporation's (EMC) Monroe headquarters. The event encourages safety and efficiency in electrical wiring.

Vaughn Collett, from Oconee County High School (OCHS), took top honors at the competition for the second consecutive year.

Also from OCHS, Noah Shealy placed second. Floyd Atha of Monroe Area High School took third place. Atha also placed in the 2006 competition.

OCHS had the highest overall score of the teams competing. North Oconee High School placed second overall.

Westley Hester also competed as part of the OCHS team. Competing for North Oconee were Amber Painter and Trent Hammock.

Participants from Monroe Area High School included Atha, Justin Jones and Chris Brown. Rodney Wynne and David Crist competed for Morgan County High School.

One student from each school is eligible to compete in the North Region competition on December 8 in Jefferson.

The event, sponsored annually by Walton EMC, includes a wiring problem, in which participants translate a wiring diagram, select the necessary wiring materials for the problem and then install a complete electric circuit. They must also answer questions based on their understanding of the National Electric Code and explain the components of an electrical wiring task before a panel of judges.

Georgia's EMCs partner with the Georgia Department of Education to sponsor

and host FFA Electrification CDEs across the state. FFA is a national organization of agricultural education students.

Walton EMC is a customer-owned power company that serves 116,000 accounts over its ten-county service area between Atlanta and Athens. Its subsidiary, Walton EMC Natural Gas, serves customers statewide.

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Click here for a photo gallery from the event.