First Bank Project Launch Contest

Beneficiary: Tyrrell Elementary School

Mary is stocking the Tyrrell Elementary School library with books that better reflect the diverse student body. With more works of fiction and nonfiction that are relatable to kids today and written by authors of different ethnicities, students will be motivated to engage with the books and improve their reading skills.

Beneficiary: Latinx community members in Western North Carolina

To help members of the Latinx community in rural areas gain basic computer skills, Ricardo is creating a class where adult students can learn how to navigate the internet, set up an email account, and access community services. For those who have never used a computer before, this class will open the door to educational opportunities and GED courses, and improve access to health care and financial resources.

Beneficiary: The Cheraw Arts Commission

To introduce children in a rural community to the performing arts, Lindsay is offering a seven-week theater course for students that will culminate in a live musical production. The experience will teach kids theatrical basics including memorizing lines and dance routines, set design, lighting, sound, and theater terminology.

Beneficiary: PACE Academy

Debbie will be teaching students how to make a garden and grow sustainable food for themselves or others.

Beneficiary: Brush Creek Elementary School

Remote learning during the pandemic interfered with social skills development for many students. To help students make progress in the classroom and at home, Roslyn is making interactive games available that teach kids turn-taking, waiting, sharing, and sportsmanship. Funding will also support the launch of a morning news show run by and featuring students to help build confidence.

Beneficiary: 6^th - 12^th Grade Students in the Cape Fear Area

Gerald is creating Journalism Clubs throughout the Cape Fear region so middle and high school students can develop their written communication skills. Students who participate receive coaching and feedback to enhance their writing and contribute to the publication of a monthly school newspaper.

Beneficiary: Bailey Middle School

Donna is the media/technology associate at Bailey Middle School, and she will be adding iPads and desktops to the media center. This equipment will enable both students and teachers to conduct research electronically and practice their computer skills.

Beneficiary: Local Children

Lynn will be bringing StoryWalk, a program that combines reading and fitness to benefit young children, to the local community.

Beneficiary: Winston-Salem Street School

Winston-Salem Street School equips students with the skills and education needed to become productive members of the community. To address the food insecurity many of its students face, Mike is raising funds to provide nutritious meals that will help teens perform better in school so they can successfully enter the workforce.

Beneficiary: Quality Education Academy

To help close the achievement gap, Amber will make six new laptops, 10 sets of headphones, and books available in the classroom to provide more equitable and consistent access to literacy programs and digital resources.

Beneficiary: Glenn Elementary School

To assist struggling readers at Glenn Elementary School, Anna Britt is connecting six teachers with extensive professional training in reading interventions. The grant will fund the teachers’ training as well as provide students access to the program and its technology so they can make gains towards reading on grade level.

Beneficiary: Harnett Central High School

Devin will be making studio space and technology available to music students to record their auditions and original compositions.!!!!

Beneficiary: Sheep‑Harney Elementary School

As the only counselor at Sheep‑Harney Elementary School, Jennifer wants to support students’ social, emotional, and physical needs so they can focus while in class. The new comprehensive counseling program will make books, activities, supplies, clothing, and field trips that boost self‑confidence and promote learning accessible to the entire student body.

Beneficiary: Guilford County Schools Teachers

To help teachers outfit their classrooms and start the school year on a positive note, Karen is raising funds for the Guilford Education Alliance to host the Teacher Supply Warehouse. Over two days, 280 Guilford County educators can visit the Warehouse to stock up on high‑quality, new, and gently used classroom supplies at no cost.

Beneficiary: Florence One Middle and High Schools

Debbie is creating a grant to fund the audition, participation, transportation, and accommodation fees for All State Band, Orchestra, and Chorus for Florence One Schools’ secondary students. This will eliminate the financial barriers to participation and allow many deserving students a chance to represent the district in All State and conference ensembles.

Beneficiary: Long Middle School

To help students with learning disabilities, Jaquarnia is getting tools to assist with hands-on skills development and letter and word identification that will help to improve reading, writing, and comprehension. Headsets will also be purchased for the class to assist students with their reading skills.

Beneficiary: Early Learning Center at the Irene Wortham Center

Sensory play supports cognitive growth, fine and gross motor skills, problem-solving, and social interaction. To help children develop a strong foundation, meet benchmarks, and be equipped for kindergarten, Nick will be installing sensory-developing equipment onto the playgrounds at the Irene Wortham Center.

Beneficiary: The Laurinburg Housing Authority student residents

Amanda is creating a quarterly workshop to expose children who live in Housing Authority residences to North Carolina’s 16 career clusters. Students will have the opportunity to learn from professionals and college professors about different fields and can earn field trips to experience the industry up close.

Beneficiary: Washington Waterfront Underground Railroad Museum

Leesa will develop traveling exhibits to help people experience the history of the Underground Railroad and understand how they can be agents of change too.

Beneficiary: Students in Pasquotank County

Lauren is helping Pasquotank County Schools collaborate with the Arts of the Albemarle to hold a large exhibit of student work at the nonprofit’s gallery in Elizabeth City. Students will display their art and have the opportunity to talk about their work at a reception. Through this experience, the partnership aims to raise awareness of local arts resources and build support for students’ creativity.

Beneficiary: Teens in Robeson County

Sabrina is supporting Crossed: The Youth Law Center in Robeson County to help provide leadership and economic development opportunities to 15- to 18‑year-old teenagers. The program provides an entrepreneurship incubator where teens can grow and monetize their ideas to learn about business and finance.

Beneficiary: Tramway Elementary School

As a music teacher for kindergarteners through fifth graders, Amy is purchasing a set of 30 ukuleles, 12 tuners, and a storage cart. Having an instrument for every child in the class will enable students to learn and play together as they develop their music skills and build their confidence.

Beneficiary: Eastlawn Elementary School

Angela is creating a library with multicultural content in two languages to promote reading amongst students in the dual language and English as a Second Language programs.

Beneficiary: Freedom Family Foundation

Marleyah is creating a free 10-week program for 16- to 21-year-old foster children. During the program, students will learn important life skills for living independently, including finances and banking, mental health, being resourceful, preparing for jobs, maintaining good relationships, self-determination, and self-advocacy.

Beneficiary: Cape Fear Center for Inquiry

Cathi is developing a financial literacy unit for seventh and eighth grade students at the Cape Fear Center for Inquiry charter school. The curriculum will introduce students to income, expenses, taxes, lending, and budgeting to enable students to apply upper‑level math concepts in real‑world scenarios.

Beneficiary: Public Schools of Bladen, Hoke, and Robeson Counties

One in five females in the U.S. has either left school early or missed school due to a lack of access to period products. Tomeika is funding a new initiative called the Hall PASS (Personal Aid Serving Students) program which provides feminine hygiene products to students in Bladen, Hoke, and Robeson County Schools. The program aims to address hygiene concerns and improve attendance for females from low-income households.

Beneficiary: The Downtown School

Liz is strengthening students’ collective love of reading and coordinating a school-wide cookbook and author visits to enhance the experience.

Beneficiary: Elementary schools in the Upstate region of South Carolina

Javier is helping The Children’s Museum of the Upstate make Brain Bags available to teach elementary students STEAM skills. Each bag contains recycled and low‑cost materials with a challenge card to build a project. Through the challenges, kids will learn problem solving, collaboration, and critical thinking skills.

Beneficiary: Clyde Campbell Elementary

Octavio will be making a reading app available to students to engage them in richer learning experiences.

Beneficiary: GiGi’s Playhouse Raleigh

For individuals with Down syndrome, GiGi’s Playhouse Raleigh is an achievement center that provides free educational, therapeutic, and career-focused programming. Michelle is funding Kindergarten Readiness, a new program at GiGi’s that prepares rising kindergarteners for an educational setting, with a focus on building the fine motor, visual motor, and bilateral coordination skills needed to use tools commonly incorporated in kindergarten lessons.

Beneficiary: Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO

Brenda is launching the Special Seas program to give 14- to 22-year-olds with mild to moderate learning impairments the opportunity to explore the sea as a scientific intern. Participants will experience fish, marine invertebrates, and water testing with the use of computers, meters, microscopes, and measuring devices. Not only will students have the chance to learn about ocean sciences, they will also have opportunities to feel included and socialize with their peers.

Beneficiary: Montgomery Central High School

Jan is securing funding for Timber Café, an Occupational Course of Study at Montgomery Central High School that students with disabilities run. The Café enables these students to gain real‑life, hands‑on work experience so they graduate with employable skills and are better equipped to be independent as adults.

Beneficiary: Operation Way Out

Operation Way Out is a nonprofit dedicated to helping at‑risk youth rise above their circumstances. Elder Kelvin is expanding the organization’s services and starting a boxing center to help keep kids off the streets. The center will provide a fun, safe, and healthy environment where students can learn a new skill and prosper.

Beneficiary: Tracy’s Little Red Schoolhouse

The Student Enrichment Experience program at Tracy’s Little Red Schoolhouse provides services to children and teenagers who are blind or visually impaired. Tatiana will purchase materials and supplies to support educational, recreational, and social activities that enhance students’ independence and confidence.

Beneficiary: Wilkes Community Partnership for Children

To get more books into the hands of children and create a community‑wide love of reading, Michelle is placing a book vending machine in the North Wilkesboro library. Businesses downtown will post pages in their windows, and children can complete a literacy walk to earn tokens that are redeemable for books.

Beneficiary: Montgomery County Schools

To provide easy access to electronic books that students can read in school or at home, Rebecca is purchasing the school district a subscription to TumbleBooks. With their login, students will be able to borrow more than 1,100 eBooks from any computer, tablet, or smartphone. To engage students of all levels and backgrounds, this library includes read-aloud books for beginners, as well as texts in English and Spanish.

Beneficiary: International Friendship Center and The Literacy and Learning Center of Highlands

T.J. is providing afterschool and summer programs at The Literacy Center of Highlands with six‑week courses for children, teens, and their guardians to learn the essentials of kitchen and food safety. The classes will focus on how to shop smarter, use nutrition information to make healthier choices, and cook delicious, affordable meals to improve wellness.

Beneficiary: Greenville Community Garden & Orchard

The Greenville Community Garden & Orchard’s BEEhavior pollinator project educates students about beehives, pollinator plants, and the environment. Michelle will add two new beehives and train student beekeepers to care for them, ultimately helping to increase bee populations and raising awareness about the importance of bee colonies.

Beneficiary: Black Entrepreneurs and Business Owners

Jonathan will be hosting a Black business accelerator program to help aspiring and current small business owners get their ideas off the ground.

Beneficiary: Low‑income children in the Triangle

To get more underprivileged children in the Triangle outside and on a bike, Nadine is bringing Trips for Kids RDU to the region. The program provides bicycles, teaches kids about their mechanics, and includes mentoring services and STEM education resources.

Beneficiary: Tabor City Schools

To eliminate the financial burden on parents and teachers and ensure every student in kindergarten through eighth grade has the school supplies they need to succeed in school, Pia is creating The Closet. Students can visit The Closet to shop for paper, calculators, crayons, etc., at no cost. Donated clothing, coats, and shoes will also be available, so students have the proper attire for school events.

Beneficiary: Third Base

To provide school children in Laurinburg with an alternative to gangs, Jason is helping to fund Third Base. This after-school program will provide academic tutoring, mentoring, computer literacy, study skills classes, and recreational activities such as basketball, volleyball, billiards, and other table games. Sheriff deputies, retired teachers, social workers, and other volunteers will work with the participating youth to help them discover how bright their futures can be.

Beneficiary: North Cove Elementary School

To provide more equitable access to visual learning, principal Adam wants to equip classrooms at North Cove Elementary with AirTame screencasting devices. These devices enable teachers and students to share and model their learning, and they can also function as digital display boards to recognize students and build a positive culture.

Beneficiary: John W. Moore Middle School

To capitalize on students’ passion for video games, Valerie is purchasing the Bitsbox curriculum that introduces young learners to coding. The Bitsbox system teaches kids video game design principles and computer science concepts and will be offered as an elective course through the middle school’s STEAM program.