Bees and Bright Ideas

Every fall, there’s a buzz across the state as educators and students return to the classroom. For Brandon Dillman and students at White Oak High School in Onslow County, that buzz is a bit louder — literally.

Since 2018, Dillman, who currently serves as K–12 Science Coordinator for Onslow County Schools, and his students have been educating youth on the importance of honeybees and other pollinators through a collection of beehives. This apiary has helped to educate not only the students and faculty of White Oak High School, but also members of the Onslow County community and beyond. Dillman says it wouldn’t be possible without support from local groups, including Jacksonville-based Jones-Onslow Electric Membership Corporation, which has helped fund components of the apiary through Bright Ideas grants.

North Carolina’s 26 electric cooperatives have collectively awarded nearly $16 million in Bright Ideas grants across the state since 1994. These grants have funded 14,700 projects and impacted more than 3.5 million students.

Dillman’s most recent grant from Jones-Onslow EMC funded a 50-inch touchscreen that serves as a comprehensive data hub. This hub allows students to record and track essential information pertaining to the honeybee colonies.

“It allows them to be immersed in it. It gives them tools to go off into the future, and … they’re learning skills that can carry them forward.”

“This cutting-edge technology will enable us to actively collaborate and share valuable insights with neighboring schools and organizations, fostering a collaborative network dedicated to honeybee education and conservation,” Dillman explained.

The data hub is paired with an observation unit that Dillman created, which allows local community members and classes to observe the beehives and beekeepers in action. The team calls it their “Honeybee Education Center.”

Taking the information students learn in their textbooks and applying it to real-life lessons is what Dillman says education is all about.

“It allows them to be immersed in it,” he said. “It gives them tools to go off into the future, and even if they don’t have their own bee colonies, they’re learning skills that can carry them forward.”

A multi-year grant winner, Dillman has used each of his awards to build upon the hives and pollination gardens.

“These grants have supported aspects of this whole thing, so without them, we may have never started this project,” Dillman said.

With the project now benefiting students from elementary to high school, Jones-Onslow EMC says projects like the apiary show the impact that local educators are making in their community.

“Brandon is a shining example of what the Bright Ideas program is all about. He has gone above and beyond with his grant proposals, creating projects that will have a lasting impact for years,” said Krystal Phillips, communications and community relations director at Jones-Onslow EMC. “From the start, Brandon wasn’t just thinking about a one-time project—he wanted to make a real difference for his students. With projects like his bee sanctuary and pollinator gardens, he’s teaching valuable life skills that his students will carry with them.”