“Educating the children of North Carolina is our state’s future. Growing up and building our business in Eastern North Carolina, I have seen unique obstacles in rural education, and there has been success when those obstacles are tackled with innovation and trained, high quality teachers. We focus on academic success for all students, and since literacy unlocks opportunities, we hope to see all students reading at grade level by the third grade. We support BEST NC because we know that we can’t keep doing the same things as a state and expect a different result, and we have seen firsthand how BEST NC has supported efforts in advanced teaching roles and grow-your-own programs in Edgecombe County, and worked to present smart solutions for education across the state.”