Inside STEP-Success Stories, Summit, and more!

Stepping Up Newsletter

STEP Prepares for Summit

S.T.E.P's annual Education and Business Leaders' Summit will be taking place on September 18, 2025 at the Brown Auditorium at Nash Community College. Doors will open at 7:30 AM for breakfast with the event starting at 8AM and continuing until 11AM.

The Education and Business Leaders' Summit is an annual event joining together key stakeholders in education, business government and nonprofit sectors to explore workforce development and solutions for improving educational opportunities.

The theme for this year's Summit is Future Ready: Connecting the Dots from

Education to Workforce. It will focus on STEP's role as a connector between students

and employers.

In addition, STEP will premiere an exclusive look at a short film telling STEP's story and impact.

STEP Interns Explore Local

Career Possibilities

Mickey Friedrich, Amara Langford, Miniya Dickens, and Josh O'Neil (left to right) at V.I.P printing.

Dillon Bunn and Josh O'Neil at Upper Coastal Plain Research Station.

At STEP, we know that students thrive when they have the chance to explore what’s possible. That is why we are excited for interns at V.I.P Printing, Amara Dickens (Nash Rocky Mount Early College) and Miniya Dickens (Nash Rocky Mount Early College) and Upper Coastal Plain Research Station intern Dillon Bunn (Southern Nash High School). These interns are gaining hands-on experiences that will prepare them for their future careers.

Students@Work: Twin Counties is a structured Work-Based Learning initiative funded by the Golden LEAF Foundation to support career readiness. It provides students like these with experiences like career exploration and apprenticeship opportunities, while simultaneously helping employers discover emerging talent and cost-effective staffing.

For more information about how you can impact students through our Students@Work program, visit our w ebsite or contact Josh O'Neil!

Teacher Externs Learn Beyond

the Classroom

This summer 15 educators are stepping out of the classroom and exploring the diverse career opportunities in the Twin-Counties from healthcare to manufacturing.

The Teachers@Work program allows educators to work hands-on at a local career and share their experiences with students to promote career and company awareness as well as teach job skills through class assignments.

Externs complete 40 hours at their internship, implement a Project-Based Learning lesson/unit and present their experience, lesson plan, and outcomes. Upon completion, externs receive a $1000 stipend and 4 CEU credits.

"It’s a great experience for teachers to get out in the real world and see how other job opportunities out there are different and how we as teachers can bring it back into our classrooms to show our students other job opportunities they may not be aware of”- Grace Terry, Bailey Elementary

Want to get in on this awesome opportunity? Find more information here!

Partner Spotlight: ABB

“ABB has been an exceptional partner in supporting STEP’s mission to connect education with career pathways. Their ongoing commitment—from sponsoring our STEM Design Challenge to hosting school tours, engaging directly with students, and educating educators on real-world skills—demonstrates their dedication to building a stronger workforce in our region. We are grateful for ABB’s leadership and continued investment in the future of our communities.”

-Executive Director,

Pam Gould

STEP Executive Director, Pam Gould presenting appreciation award to ABB's Miranda Exum-Parker at the 2024 Twin-Counties STEM Design Challenge

In this newsletter STEP is recognizing ABB in Pinetops. ABB is a dedicated STEP partner with involvement in the Twin-Counties STEM Design Challenge, Lunch with an Engineer, student tours, and hosting the STEM East Industries in Schools Institute teacher cohort.

ABB is a global technology leader in electrification and automation. Their goal is to enable a more sustainable and resource-efficient future.

The Pinetops location focuses on designing and manufacturing power quality and power protection equipment for the electric grid. Major outputs from Pinetops include instrument transformers which reduce the current and voltage to allow characteristics of grid electricity to be measured and subsequently controlled

Coming Up!

Education & Business Leaders' Summit

September 18

The Summit is almost here! Get ready for expert panelists on workforce & education, inspiring stories & partnerships in action, and a dynamic showcase of how schools are preparing your future workforce.

Be Pro Be Proud

September 23-26

Be Pro Be Proud is an initiative led by the N.C. Home Builders Educational and Charitable Foundation, leading the movement to bring a new generation of pride, progress & professionals to North Carolina's skilled workforce.

The Be Pro Be Proud truck has a variety of profession simulations including, electrician, welding, plumbing, truck driving and more.