Banks County High School senior Matt Sanders won the Region 2 EMC/FFA Agricultural Education Career Development Event and will advance to the state competition. Jackson EMC sponsors the wiring competition that requires students to complete a timed practical wiring exercise and a problem-solving exam followed by an oral presentation describing the necessary steps to complete an electrical wiring task.  

“Hard work and preparation time paid off for me,” said Sanders, who wants to be a residential electrician. He plans to attend Athens Technical College and pursue a degree in electrical construction. 

Madison County High School junior Lilliana Cabaniss placed second overall in the competition. Sanders and Cabaniss advance to the state competition, held on March 5, 2022, at the FFA camp in Covington. 

Offered through local FFA chapters, the regional wiring competitions reinforce electrical wiring as taught in the vocational agriculture education program and expand students’ grasp of electric energy and the role of EMCs in Georgia’s energy future. 

The hands-on, practical, timed wiring exercise tests students’ knowledge of the National Electric Code.  The oral presentation offers students the opportunity to explain how to solve an electrical problem. Lastly, students must complete a multiple-choice exam.  

Any active FFA member enrolled in a high school agriculture education class is eligible to participate in the wiring competition. The top two individuals in each region’s wiring contest advance to the state competition. 

Georgia FFA is the third largest state association with more than 42,000 members. Currently, Georgia has 342 chapters and more than 475 agricultural education teachers. An integral part of the agricultural education program in public schools, FFA’s mission is to make a positive difference in the students’ lives by developing their potential for leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. 

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, the largest electric cooperative in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation, is headquartered 50 miles northeast of Atlanta in Jefferson, Ga. The cooperative serves more than 245,000 meters on 14,000 miles of  energized wire. For more information, visit jacksonemc.com.