When utilities and community-focused organizations invest in education, the impact often extends far beyond the classroom. A recent initiative by the Jones-Onslow Electric Membership Corporation (JOEMC) of North Carolina illustrates just how weather technology can play a meaningful role in both learning and local resilience. By donating weather stations to elementary schools, the JOEMC created new opportunities for students to engage with real-time data, strengthened weather awareness at a school district level, and reinforced the value of partnerships between utilities, educators, and communities.
“Jones-Onslow EMC is proud to donate 25 Tempest Weather Stations to elementary schools across our service territory. These stations create countless learning opportunities for students, with each school developing custom lesson plans using real-time weather data from their own campus. This hands-on access may even help inspire a future meteorologist, while also strengthening the local network of weather stations that supports our electric system and the communities we serve. By donating weather stations to elementary schools, the cooperative created new opportunities for students to engage with real-time data, strengthened weather awareness at the school level, and reinforced the value of partnerships between utilities, educators, and communities." - Krystal Phillips, Communications/Community Relations Manager at Jones-Onslow EMC
Turning Real-Time Weather Into Real-World Learning
Weather is one of the most immediate, real-world phenomena students can observe, but with the right tools, it can also become a powerful way to understand science in action. Bringing a professional-grade weather station onto a school campus transforms abstract concepts into hands-on learning. Students can track rainfall totals, temperature swings, wind shifts, and other changing conditions as they happen, connecting textbook lessons to the world right outside their classroom windows.
Another great part? Educators benefit as well. Access to localized, real-time weather data supports interactive STEM instruction and encourages inquiry-based learning, where students ask questions, analyze trends, and draw conclusions from actual observations. This approach has already proven effective in classrooms, like this elementary school in Lexington where teachers successfully integrated Tempest data into daily lessons. Programs like this help spark curiosity early and foster foundational skills in science, technology, engineering, and math.
Supporting Safety Through Localized Insight
Beyond education, weather data plays a critical role in risk awareness and preparedness. Schools equipped with hyperlocal weather information gain better visibility into changing conditions, whether it’s approaching storms, extreme temperatures, or heavy rainfall. This added layer of insight supports informed decision-making and reinforces a culture of weather awareness within school communities.
For utilities, initiatives like these align naturally with their broader mission of safety, reliability, and community service. Weather directly affects infrastructure, operations, and the people utilities serve. Supporting weather education at the school level helps build a more informed community while demonstrating a long-term commitment to local well-being.
Tempest Programs for Utilities and Schools
Tempest works with utilities and educational organizations to make weather data more accessible and actionable. For utilities, TempestOne solutions support improved situational awareness, operational planning, and community engagement, helping organizations better understand the conditions impacting their service areas.
In schools, Tempest serves as an educational tool that bridges science and safety. Resources like the Tempest Weather Science and Safety Kit are designed to help educators introduce weather concepts in age-appropriate, engaging ways, using real data to support learning objectives. These tools emphasize observation, critical thinking, and practical understanding, positioning weather as both a scientific subject and a real-world consideration.
A Model for Community Driven Impact
The Jones-Onslow EMC education initiative reflects a broader opportunity for utilities and community organizations alike. By combining weather technology with education-focused partnerships, organizations can support learning, enhance safety awareness, and strengthen ties within the communities they serve.
Weather touches every aspect of daily life. When it becomes a shared learning experience supported by thoughtful partnerships and reliable data, it has the power to educate, protect, and inspire the next generation.