Part of building a brighter future begins with empowering the next generation and creating opportunities for young leaders that spark their curiosity and help develop skills that will shape their future.

This commitment to supporting students was on display when a team of volunteers participated in the Future Me Fair at Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh, an event that invites children to explore careers in fields that excite them.

“Events like the Future Me Fair get the gears turning inside little minds, making them ask questions like, ‘Why do the lights come on when I flip a switch?’” said Chris Walton, grid infrastructure manager at North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives. “The exposure to different ideas and concepts has a big impact on their growth.”

The museum has hosted the exploration fair for eight years, and North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives has been a supporting sponsor for each of the last three events.

“The Future Me Fair puts careers on kids’ radars that they might not otherwise be exposed to,” said Hardin Engelhardt, chief learning officer at Marbles Kids Museum. “By meeting professionals from a wide array of fields, learning about their work and how they make a difference in the world, kids can envision themselves with a broader range of possibilities and aspire to achieve more.”

The Smart House

Each year, cooperative volunteers bring interactive and insightful presentations that help students connect with and understand the intricacies of power generation. This year’s presentation was taken to the next level with the debut of the Smart House.

This hands-on tool teaches students about electricity and innovative home technologies, including smart thermostats, electric vehicles and solar panels.

“One of the seven cooperative principles is concern for community, and a big part of that is education,” said Nikki Lynberg, innovation and business development analyst at North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives. “By incorporating energy education at an early age, it teaches students the importance of electricity in their daily lives and inspires them to explore careers in the energy industry.”

The Smart House was built from scratch by a team of volunteers and will be a major part of future co-op demonstrations and events geared toward youth across North Carolina.

Inspiring the Next Generation

When Marbles Kids Museum introduced the Future Me Fair in 2014, the goal was to make career exploration accessible. Over the years, the museum has seen the event grow, with more children attending and taking part in hands-on demonstrations.

“This event is only possible thanks to support from countless community partners such as North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives,” said Avery Goldman, senior development associate at Marbles Kids Museum. “North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives’ support underscores the value they place on inspiring the next generation while expanding awareness in our community for the important work they do powering our state.”

Volunteers like Walton say they’re proud to take part year after year, helping kids connect their curiosity with real-world possibilities.

“The earlier kids are exposed to science and get hands-on experience with this technology, the more likely they are to explore opportunities and careers they might never have considered before,” Walton said. “I think our participation in community events like this is one way we can help inspire future engineers, lineworkers and electricians.”