Co-ops attract more than 80 female students to career camps
January-February 2025
Journeyman lineworker Genevie Boarman provides instruction to a student climbing a utility pole. (photos by Jim Robertson)
by Jim Robertson, Staff Writer
Allison Helleburg, regional manager for Hilti, instructs students using power tools to construct and attach a crossarm to a utility pole.
Young women throughout the Delmarva region challenged their determination to reach new heights at this year’s Girl Power Camp, hosted by the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives, its member cooperatives and generous industry partners.
More than 80 determined young women participated in this year’s interactive experience at two locations. An inaugural Eastern Shore camp was held at the Choptank Electric Cooperative regional service center on Oct. 3 in Salisbury, Md. The VMDAEC Training Center hosted the fourth annual camp on Oct. 30.
Girl Power introduces students to a variety of career paths in the energy industry, including linework.
“This event is incredible because it’s so hands-on,” says Jess Peregoy, career and technical education director for Greene County Schools. She explains that students are often only spectators on typical school field trips. The interactive design of Girl Power uniquely allows students the ability to perform tasks just like the professionals leading them.
More than 30 high schools and technical centers participated in this year’s events. Educators appreciate the interactive and engaging structure of Girl Power, saying the hands-on interactions are an invaluable learning experience.
The initiative attracted more than 40 representatives from 10 Virginia electric cooperatives to the Palmyra camp and nearly 50 volunteers from four co-ops in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia to the Eastern Shore camp. Leading and instructing students through the climbing portion of the camp were Genevie Boarman from Northern Neck Electric Cooperative, and Megan Simmons from Delaware Electric Cooperative. Boarman, who participated for her fourth year and instructed at both camps, recently completed her four-year apprenticeship of classroom instruction and 8,000 hours of training on the job. Simmons is currently halfway through her apprenticeship.
“I never really thought I can’t do this just because I’m a girl,” says DelilahRay Roop, a Warren County School senior and Rappahannock Electric Cooperative member who was attending her third Girl Power camp. “I want to be a lineman, and they have genuinely helped me so much, pushed me in the right direction. I know exactly what I’m going to do, when I’m going to do it, and how I’m going to do it because they’ve helped so much.”
Students rotated through interactive stations led by industry professionals. They performed tasks like climbing a utility pole, using a shotgun stick, attaching a crossarm to a pole, operating a drone, splicing fiber and operating a bucket truck boom. Students were able to use power tools with supervision from tool manufacturers, participate in a cadwelding exercise, and perform simulated real-life tasks of a lineworker via virtual reality.
This event would not be possible without the incredible and generous support from a variety of industry partners each year. Their expertise and willingness to share it help make Girl Power a successful and engaging experience.
Three students from this year’s camp have indicated intent to apply for the Southside Virginia Community College Power Line Worker Program this coming summer to pursue careers in utility linework. All three are eligible to receive scholarships from Altec Industries. The VMDAEC Education Scholarship Foundation also has scholarship opportunities for students whose primary residence is served by an electric cooperative in Virginia, Maryland or Delaware.
Dusten Moir, director of operations for Utilitrain, oversees students using a shotgun stick to open and close a fuse cutout.