North Carolina’s electric cooperatives’ commitment to education extends beyond the classroom, giving local educators the opportunity to explore the industry, its career opportunities and bring new lessons back to their students through a longstanding partnership with the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership at NC State University.

This summer, Lumbee River Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) will welcome Sarah Griffin-Greene, a STEM teacher at Rowland-Norment Elementary School and the 2024-25 Teacher of the Year for the Public Schools of Robeson County, as its 2025–26 Kenan Fellow. The Kenan Fellows Program offers yearlong professional development and industry immersion internships that connect K–12 educators with local industries, community organizations and higher education institutions.

During her three-week STEM internship with Lumbee River EMC, Griffin-Greene will gain firsthand knowledge of regional career pathways and relevant workforce skills to share with her students. In turn, she will translate her experiences with the cooperative into engaging lessons and resources that bridge the gap between the classroom and the workforce in her community.

“We are honored to support Sarah Griffin-Greene’s Kenan Fellowship and to play a role in strengthening STEM education in our community,” said Jon T. Locklear, CEO of Lumbee River EMC. “By opening our doors and sharing the inner workings of the electric cooperative model, we hope to inspire the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers. Partnerships like this are essential to building a brighter future—it starts in the classroom.”

Never stop learning

Even in her ninth year of teaching, Griffin-Greene says she’s always looking to learn and improve — especially for her students. That’s what drew her to apply to the Kenan Fellows Program.

“I’m going to learn more and be a better teacher and leader,” Griffin-Greene said. “I can bring the things I learn this summer into my classroom and uplift everybody. I never want to stop growing as an educator, and an experience like this will help me transform the way I teach STEM to my students.”

Teaching STEM at a Title I school that serves students from kindergarten through third grade, Griffin-Greene says her goal is to encourage her students to explore new topics, make mistakes and have fun.

“I want them to make connections between what they’re learning in the classroom and the world around them,” Griffin-Greene said. “I want them to fall in love with science and technology and see that it can take them places in the future.”

Cooperatives support for education

Even before being selected as a Kenan Fellow, Griffin-Greene received a Bright Ideas grant from Lumbee River EMC in 2024. The grant funded the purchase of Sphero robots, which students used to program and collect data around the classroom.

While Griffin-Greene said the energy industry is new to her, she’s excited to embrace the experience and bring it back to the classroom.

Now, as she prepares for this summer’s immersive learning experience, Griffin-Greene is excited to work with a local organization that has a history of supporting educators.

“They’re right here in our backyard,” Griffin-Greene said. “I’m hoping my students will see that the things they’re learning about are happening right here in our county. It’s one of the reasons I applied to be a Kenan Fellow — when I saw there was an opportunity right here in Robeson County.”

“Electricity is interesting, and it opens the door to so many hands-on lessons that I want to offer my students,” Griffin-Greene said. “I can’t wait to work alongside Lumbee River EMC this summer and bring back exciting experiences that hopefully spark a world of possibilities these students had never thought of before.”