Youth Leadership Program

A leadership experience for high school juniors.

The Cobb EMC Youth Leadership Program gives current high school juniors for the 2025-2026 school year the opportunity to develop leadership and networking skills, learn about their electric cooperative and earn scholarships. Youth Leadership Program students also compete to represent Cobb EMC on the Washington Youth Tour, designed to build leadership skills. The contest offers current high school juniors an opportunity to win a  $1,500, $1,000, or $500 scholarship, one of four spots for an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C. from June 12-19, 2026, and one paid student summer internship.

  • Be a high school junior (including home-schooled students)
  • Live in a primary residence served by Cobb EMC
  • Complete the application and take the Junior Youth Leadership Program Quiz (see How to Apply section for details)
  • Cobb EMC employees and their children are not eligible for this program and scholarship
  • Cobb EMC Directors and their children are not eligible for this program and scholarship

1. Complete the 2026 Cobb EMC Junior Youth Leadership Program Application and submit to Cobb EMC by Tuesday, July 31, 2025. 

  • Mail:
    Cobb EMC
    Attn: Mark Justice
    1000 EMC Parkway
    Marietta, GA 30061
  • Drop-off: Cobb EMC is located on EMC Parkway, just north of Kennestone Hospital. For detailed directions, please call Mark Justice at 678-355-3124 or click here. 
  • Fax: 678-355-3124

2. Take the Cobb EMC Junior Youth Leadership Program Quiz.  

The following materials will prepare you for the Cobb EMC Junior Youth Leadership Program Quiz.

YLP QUIZ STUDY MATERIALS

  • Thursday, August 12, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.: Quiz Night will occur in the Bo and Mary Jean Pounds Auditorium at Cobb EMC. The quiz will consist of fill-in-the-blanks, multiple-choice, true-false, and short discussion questions. 
  • Cobb EMC is located on EMC Parkway, just north of Kennestone Hospital. For detailed directions, please call Mark Justice at 678-355-3124 or click here. 
  • Thursday, July 10, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.: Virtual Information Session – email youthleadershipprogram@cobbemc.com to register for the information session. The Virtual Information Session is not mandatory for students that want to enter the Cobb EMC Youth Leadership Program.
  • Tuesday, July 31, 2025: Entry deadline
  • Tuesday, August 12, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.: Quiz Night at Cobb EMC.

Junior Youth Leadership Program 

  • Thursday, August 21, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.: Junior YLP Welcome 
  • Thursday, September 18, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.: Team-Building
  • Thursday, October 16, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.: Membership and Safety 
  • Thursday, November 13, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.: Community
  • Thursday, December 4, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.: Business & Politics 
  • Thursday, January 15, 2026 at 5:30 p.m.: DISC Assessment 
  • Thursday, February 12, 2026 at 5:30 p.m.: Leadership and Workplace Success
  • June 12-19, 2026: Trip to Washington D.C. 

Participants will receive a detailed schedule.

Frequently Asked Questions

Through approximately seven evening programs, scheduled during the school year, participants are familiarized with leadership concepts, their electric cooperative’s leadership, business operations, and community involvement. The monthly programs run from August 21, 2025 through February 12, 2026. Designed to build leadership skills, the contest offers current high school juniors an opportunity to win a $1,500, $1,000, or $500 scholarship, along with one of four all-expenses-paid trips to Washington, D.C. and one paid student summer internship.     

  • Thursday, July 31, 2025: Entry deadline
  • Thursday, August 12, 2025: Quiz Night at Cobb EMC

Junior Youth Leadership Program 

  • Thursday, August 21, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.: Junior YLP Welcome 
  • Thursday, Sep 18, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.: Team-Building
  • Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.: Membership and Safety 
  • Thursday, Nov 13, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.: Community
  • Thursday, Dec 4, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.: Business & Politics  
  • Thursday, Jan 15. 2026 at 5:30 p.m.: DISC Assessment 
  • Thursday, Feb 12, 2026 at 5:30 p.m.: Leadership & Workplace Success
  • June 12-19, 2026: Trip to Washington D.C.

Participants will receive a detailed schedule.

Congratulations! You will be your school's representative if you score a minimum of 70 on the quiz.

Cobb EMC Youth Leadership Program applicants will take a 100-point quiz. The quiz is administered at Cobb EMC on Thursday, August 12, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. The top-scoring student from each school, with a minimum score of 70, will be invited to participate in the Junior Youth Leadership Program. 

The highest-scoring student from each school (score a minimum of 70 on the quiz) will be invited to participate in approximately seven Cobb EMC Youth Leadership Program evening programs.

The top students will fill out an application and complete interviews. Mark Justice, sr. manager of education and community relations, will interview candidates. A physical and drug screen is required of the applicant who is selected and accepts the offer.

The paid summer intern will work in Cobb EMC's education and community relations department.

The Cobb EMC Women’s Task Force is a voluntary group of 35-40 women members of Cobb EMC.

Youth Leadership Program participants are not required to compete for a place on the Washington Youth Tour. Interested YLP students are invited to compete in a separate essay contest which will determine who is selected to attend the optional Washington Youth Tour.  

For more information

Mark Justice
1000 EMC Parkway, Marietta, GA 30060
mark.justice@cobbemc.com
678-355-3124