WHITEVILLE – The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences at Whiteville will continue to develop and implement educational opportunities for the public with a focus on science education thanks to a generous $21,000 grant from the Duke Energy Foundation, which was awarded on June 16.
“STEM education is a critical focus area of the Duke Energy Foundation,” said John Elliott, Duke Energy’s director of government and community relations. “We’re proud to partner with the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences at Whiteville to expand hands-on and STEM-focused learning opportunities for kids in southeastern North Carolina.”
“Duke Energy Foundation continues to be an important partner for STEM education in North Carolina,” said Charles Yelton, regional network chief for the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh. In 2015 the Whiteville museum was awarded a $40,000 grant from the Duke Energy Foundation, the largest donation the museum has received to date. The grant was instrumental in allowing the museum to transition from a facility focused on forestry to one focused on the natural sciences.
“The Duke Energy Foundation is a real friend to the museum,” says Bill Thompson, president of the Friends of the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences at Whiteville. “Their support in the past has allowed us to become a unique part of the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences. Their very generous gift now will allow us to provide a much-needed early childhood education program here in Whiteville. We appreciate very much their continuing support of the museum.”
Funding from this grant will go toward development of public and early childhood educational programs, special after school and citizen science projects to connect children of all ages to nature and increase science literacy throughout the community.
For more information, call the museum at 910-914-4185 or e-mail Whiteville@naturalsciences.org.