CCCC receives $10,000 grant from the TELUS North Carolina Community Board, supporting EV Kart program

Funding will help to serve 9th and 10th grade high school students in the emerging field of electric vehicle technology

 SANFORD, N.C. – Central Carolina Community College has received grant funding from the TELUS North Carolina Community Board to contribute toward the effort to support career and technical exploration in the emerging field of electric vehicle technology. The grant has been received through the CCCC Foundation.

“Central Carolina Community College is excited to collaborate with Harnett County Schools on the launch of the CCCC EV Kart Competition pilot program,” said Dr. Sara Newcomb, Dean of Business and Applied Technologies at CCCC. “This innovative initiative promotes teamwork, problem-solving, and critical thinking while introducing students to the practical applications of electric vehicle technology in education.”

The Central Carolina Community College EV Kart Competition is an exciting pilot program between Harnett County Schools and CCCC. The initiative invites 9th and 10th grade high school students to engage in a program to design, build, and operate their own electric go-karts. Through hands-on activities, students will learn about automotive mechanics, fabrication, and restoration, while also gaining valuable insights into clean energy and sustainability practices. This partnership not only fosters technical skills, but also encourages teamwork and problem-solving in a real-world context.

In addition to the technical aspects, the EV Kart Competition emphasizes the importance of environmental stewardship. By focusing on electric vehicles, students will explore how innovative technologies can contribute to a cleaner future. They will participate in workshops and projects that highlight the principles of clean energy and sustainability. This competition is not just about building karts, it’s about preparing students to be the next generation of leaders in the automotive and clean energy industries. By exploring these potential career fields early in their high school experience, students will gain essential skills and knowledge that will benefit them in future educational and career decisions.

This project will be led by a CCCC faculty member who will serve as Project Director. Harnett County Schools will work to establish a team at each of their four high schools and identify a coach/mentor for each. Under the guidance of their coach, teams will build an electric-powered go-kart and compete at a culminating event during the fall semester. Teams will be challenged with specific tasks requiring them to design and build a modified receiving hitch kit built to complete the activities. The high school mentors and CCCC Project Director will work together to oversee the project and the teams.

“Through our partnerships with charities supporting youth, we understand the challenges young people in these situations face,” said Ebony Burt, North Carolina Community Board Chair. “We are proud to be able to support Central Carolina Community College, with a North Carolina Community Board grant in order to help with career and technical exploration in the emerging field of electric vehicle technology.”

The CCCC Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization affiliated with, but independent of, the college. It receives donations of money and equipment on behalf of CCCC and uses them to promote the educational mission of the college and assist students through scholarships and grants.

For information about the Foundation, donating to it, establishing a scholarship, or other fund-raising events, contact Dr. Emily C. Hare, Executive Director of the CCCC Foundation, (919) 718-7230, or ehare@cccc.edu.

About TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods

TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods is a leading global technology provider delivering data insights and digital solutions to agriculture, food and consumer goods customers in 60 countries with a view to creating better producer-to-consumer outcomes. Backed by a global team of 1,600 experts across Canada, the United States, Mexico, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Slovakia, Armenia, Germany, China, and Australia, TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods offers a growing list of integrated solutions for analytics, data, supply chain, trade promotion, farm and livestock production management. By leveraging technology and data, TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods is creating a unified, trusted and sustainable value chain to enable more efficient production and logistics, while lowering the impact on the environment, to progress its vision of transforming supply chains and making the future friendly. For more information please visit telus.com/agcg and follow @TELUS_AGCG on Twitter and TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods on LinkedIn.

About Central Carolina Community College

Central Carolina Community College is a public community college serving Chatham, Harnett, and Lee counties. Established in 1961, CCCC is part of the North Carolina Community College System and offers a diverse range of academic and career and technical programs to meet the educational needs of its communities.