WAKE FOREST, N.C- Two local middle school students received recognition during a women’s basketball game at North Carolina State University for winning Touchstone Energy Sports Camp scholarships sponsored by Wake Electric.

Dara McCluskey of Franklin Academy and Olivia Dougherty of G.C. Hawley Middle School each attended the Kellie Harper Women’s Basketball Academy at N.C. State last July on all-expense paid scholarships from Wake Electric. McCluskey, Dougherty and 17 other basketball camp scholarship winners from across the state reunited at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh on Feb. 3 to watch the Wolfpack Women take on Wake Forest University.

Both McCluskey and Dougherty were selected for the scholarship out of numerous candidates based on their outstanding applications and essays. Dara is the daughter of Ed and Jan McCluskey. Olivia is the daughter of Ann Dougherty.

The scholarship winners and their guests were given tickets to attend the game and enjoyed a catered lunch. At halftime, the young women were recognized on the court, receiving a certificate of achievement from Lindsey Listrom, community relations specialist for North Carolina’s electric cooperatives. Directly following the recognitions, a check for $14,600 from Touchstone Energy was presented in support of the scholarships.

“We feel honored to have awarded Dara and Olivia scholarships to attend last summer’s basketball camp at N.C. State and to recognize them during the special halftime presentation,” said Darnell Alford, Business Operations Specialist at Wake Electric. “It has been a joy over the years to give many young women the opportunity to develop new skills by working with collegiate athletes and coaches.”

Wake Electric is now accepting applications for the 2013 Touchstone Energy Sports Camp scholarships through March 30. These scholarships, sponsored by electric cooperatives across the state, including Wake Electric, will send 26 deserving young women in sixth through eighth grades to the Kellie Harper Basketball Camp at N.C. State and 26 deserving young men to the Roy Williams Basketball Camp at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Applicants are judged on their application, essay and extracurricular activities. To learn more about the Touchstone Energy Sports Camp scholarship program, visit www.wemc.com/basketball.aspx.

Wake Electric is a nonprofit electric utility serving more than 36,000 members in parts of Franklin, Durham, Granville, Johnston, Vance, Nash, and Wake counties. For more information on Wake Electric, please visit www.wemc.com.

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