In late November 2025, four Roxboro Community School (RCS) staff members were recognized as winners of Bright Ideas grants. The grant program, Bright Ideas, is sponsored by Piedmont Electric. The grants ranged in monetary value, some even reaching $2000.
Biotechnological health science teacher Jill Clayton’s grant was awarded to purchase 3D models for her classroom, middle school principal Jamel Jones’ grant was for beautifying the school with gardens, academic boost teacher Katie DeVillier’s grant was awarded to support the middle school ambassadors program, and eighth grade teacher Kara Roberts received a grant to develop an agricultural curriculum.
Grateful for her grant and eager to put it to use, Roberts already outlined exactly what she will use her money for within her agriculture unit. She was able to purchase an incubator and a brooder in order to hatch and raise chicks. With this equipment, the students will have a chance to interact with the chicks for a few weeks rather than a couple of days if the chicks were hatched without the incubator and the brooder. Furthermore, the supplies are also reusable, so Roberts will be able to successfully teach her students the agricultural curriculum without having to spend additional money. “I hope that they learn more about responsibilities for taking care of animals… A lot of times people don’t think about when they chicken or they eat eggs that they actually come from an animal source, and so learning more about the importance of respecting farmers and the jobs that they do and how they provide too.”