By Tyra Jackson

The Selma Times-Journal

Two Selma students have earned a ticket to attend the Alabama Rural Electric Youth Tour, where they will compete for a trip to Washington, D.C.

Aderick Moore of Selma High School and Harrison Adams of Morgan Academy are two of the four finalists selected to represent Pioneer Electric in Montgomery on March 10.

The grassroots program educates high school students on how electric cooperatives work.

“It’s an honor for a junior in high school to get to do this,” said Pioneer Electric communications specialist Casey Rogers. “They had to take a little interest in energy and cooperatives. They were given a test to see how much they knew about cooperatives.”

Moore’s high school counselor encouraged him to apply for the Pioneer Electric Tour. He said he believes the experience will help him reach his goals of attending the University of Alabama and studying architectural engineering.

“I feel it’s a wonderful experience, and it’s going to shape and mold me into a better leader for my city and peers as well,” Moore said.

In an effort to advance to the tour, Adams said he reviewed a study guide the company offered participants.

“I was hoping to make it this far,” he said. “ I was confident in how well I did, and I was humbled and surprised I did make it.”

Morgan Academy’s Harrison Adams saw the tour as a way to spark his interest in engineering and an opportunity to make new friends. He’s already meet Moore through the program.

“I met Aderick, and he’s a really nice guy,” said Adams. “I never met him before, so I am really excited to see some familiar faces, and some people I haven’t seen before.”

The program has also provided Adams with more options for his education and future.

“The tour showed me what I wanted to do,” he said. I’m still not sure what I want to do, but it’s helped me educate myself on more options that I have.”

Although Adams said he’s uncertain about what his future holds, he said he does want to attend college in the Southeast and major in an engineering field.

“I’m not exactly sure what kind of field I want to do, but that’s what I plan to do so far,” he said. “I’m just trying to keep my options open.”