GREENVILLE, N.C. (Feb. 1, 2022) –Voting is now open in UScellular’s Eighth Annual Black History Month Art Contest with Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain Clubs in Greenville, Morehead City, New Bern and Washington. Voting is available online, and community members in these cities can go here to vote for their favorite piece of original art.

This year, UScellular introduced an exciting new element to the contest. For the first time, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain members were encouraged to create their original pieces of artwork in recognition of influential Black STEM icons, including historical figures, world leaders, scientists and educators. Ten finalists were chosen by representatives from the Boys & Girls Club based on creativity, quality, interpretation, clarity of theme and overall impression.

Voting will remain open until February 28, and anyone 18 or older can vote for their favorite. The finalists’ artwork is also digitally displayed at UScellular locations across eastern North Carolina.

The top three vote-getters for each Club will be announced in March and prizes include gift cards in the following amounts:

· $250 for 1st Place

· $150 for 2nd Place

· $100 for 3rd Place

“We are thrilled to work with Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain again on this contest to help honor Black STEM icons and showcase youth in our community,” said Jeremy Taylor, director of sales for UScellular in eastern North Carolina. “This year’s art highlights the artistic talent among the Club members, while giving them a chance to learn more about the impact Black people have made in STEM. We encourage the eastern North Carolina community to check out the art and vote online.”

“Each year it’s always good to see the members get excited and put their best foot forward to create artwork that highlights the importance of Black History. This year the members were challenged with acknowledging Black Historical figures that aren’t exactly the “Go To” for Black History Month and it kickstarted a lot of interest among our members. They are stepping outside the box of constantly seeing Black people in politics fighting for equal rights and really seeing what it means for Black people to shine and be a pioneer in one role or another,” said Anna Hunter, unit director for Boys & Girls Club of the Coastal Plan Jack Minges Unit.

The public can vote for their favorite artwork by going to newsroom.uscellular.com or clicking here.

UScellular is focused on addressing gaps in STEM education and is committed to connecting more than 200,000 of tomorrow’s innovators each year with the resources they need today to help shape future opportunities. For more information about UScellular’s corporate social responsibility initiatives, please go to https://newsroom.uscellular.com/community/.

No Purchase Necessary. Entrants who are minors must have parental consent to participate in the Contest. Official Contest Rules, including full entry details and Finalist and Winner selection criteria/voting are available by email request to USCDLMediaRelations@uscellular.com.

Winterville, NC – Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain received a grant from Duke Energy on June 19 to help support the summer program, Summer Brain Gain. The $20,000 check was hand delivered to the Club kids by Duke Energy Government & Community Relations Manager, Millie Chalk. “Duke Energy is focused on trying to build and support our communities in any number of ways, whether it is through education, work-force development or environmental, trying to find all those different niches that can make a difference in the community. Boys & Girls Clubs is the perfect niche for us because those are our future leaders and future employees. We are hoping to build a partnership that not only strengthens Boys & Girls Clubs but also strengthens our organization and communities as well.”

This grant will aid with Club programs during the summer, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain implements a program called Summer Brain Gain. Summer Brain Gain is comprised of one-week modules with fun, themed activities for elementary school, middle school and high school students that are aligned with common core state standards. Each module takes a project-based learning approach: youth engage in a process of learning through discovery, creative expression, group work and create a final project or production. As a result, kids develop higher-order thinking skills while staying on track for the coming school year. President & CEO of Boys & Girls Club of the Coastal Plain, Kimberly Boyd, “Summer Brain Gain effectively prevents summer learning loss, ensuring kids return to school ready to learn, and they have a great time too!” The check presentation took place at the Jack Minges Unit in Winterville, NC.

Winterville, NC – The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain is proud to announce that Board Member, Steve Stevenson, III received the “Jeremiah Milbank National Gold Medallion Award” at the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) 2019 National Conference. This award is granted to those professionals who continue to support and dedicate their time to our local youth. Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain President & CEO, Kimberly Boyd, stated” “Steve’s tireless dedication to the well-being of youth is unparralled and we are so grateful for his efforts every day. We are so pleased to be able to honor him at this level.”

The mission of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. There are 17 Clubs throughout Pitt, Beaufort, Lenoir, Martin, Greene, Carteret, and Craven Counties serving approximately 1,400 members daily and over 3,100 annually. Club programs focus on academic success, healthy lifestyles, and character and citizenship with an over-arching goal of building strong children and communities. For more information, visit the Clubs online at www.bgccp.com or call (252) 355-2345.