The Power of Learning
REMC's Teacher Intern Keri Hill

For nineteen years, English Language Arts teacher Keri Hill has instructed school children. But this year, she will incorporate some new lessons from her time with REMC into her sixth-grade curriculum.


Keri Hill on the job with the REMC crew

Each summer, Randolph Electric hosts a local educator for a one-week internship. The Asheboro Randolph Chamber of Commerce coordinates this experiential learning opportunity and pairs teachers with local businesses. This year, REMC had the privilege of hosting middle school English teacher Keri Hill.

Randolph Electric employees greatly enjoyed showing Hill how the cooperative keeps the lights on for members. During her time spent with employees, Hill learned about all about the cooperative, including significant economic developments in the service territory and the skills needed for success in the field.

Communications and Public Affairs Manager Nicole Arnold interviewed Hill on the last day of her internship.

Q. Where do you currently teach?

A. South Asheboro Middle School.

Q. Did you know anything about electric cooperatives before your internship?

A. Yes, I grew up in Huddleston, Virginia, in the Southside Electric Cooperative area.

Q. What is one thing you learned about REMC?

A. I have been a member of REMC since I moved here, but I did not know about all the benefits of membership. For instance, now I know that I can round-up my bill to help other members in need through People Helping People.

Q. Why did you want to do the internship?

A. Other teachers had recommended the Chamber’s internship to me, and I had never experienced this. I wanted to find out what they were talking about.

Q. What did you think when you were chosen by REMC?

A. I thought, “What am I going to do?” I don’t like the outdoors.

Q. What is your impression of REMC employees?

A. Two words: faith and family are very important to every employee here. I think REMC can put the member first because they view the member as they would their family.

Q. What will you take back to your students?

A. The career possibilities at REMC and in the energy field really impressed me. I will tell them they can do all the jobs that I witnessed. 

Q. How will you weave your experience into your curriculum?

A. I will incorporate my experiences on the job into my lessons on how to write a personal narrative. In our first semester, we discuss stories about change, and the students enjoy hearing about the teacher’s past experiences. I will walk them through the processes that an underground power crew goes through when they bury line, so the students understand how to structure an event in sequence.

Q. What souvenir from your internship do you think the students will enjoy most?

A. I know my students will like to see the pictures of me in the field with the crews. But my hardhat will be the favorite in the classroom. I will use the hardhat to emphasize the importance of using descriptive details in their personal narrative writing assignment.