The Radiant Rays, a cohort of college women representing the Center for Energy Education, today presented findings of their summer research project.

It is research that shows about 40.2 percent of some 100 people in rural communities surveyed believe their community is somewhat informed about renewable energy.

It shows that only 15.8 percent of the people surveyed feel they are personally informed about renewable energy.

The survey also showed that 51.2 percent of the people surveyed could not list renewable energy options which the group concludes shows a disconnect in the education of these options.

The survey shows that 79.3 percent of those responding don’t believe there are enough education resources about renewable energy in their area.

“They have worked hard over the past eight weeks to complete a research project that not only provides them with knowledge but also their fellow community members,” said Whitney J. Sessoms, C4EE’s workforce and education manager. “I am beyond proud of them.”

The cohort of Radiant Rays included several college students from Halifax County, Washington County and Marshall County in Indiana.

They are: Machiya Arrington — North Carolina Central University; NyAsia Dawson — UNC-Greensboro; Ruby Brickel — Indiana University South Bend; Jaslyn McKinney — UNCG; Chastity Brandy — NCCU; Mikayla Watson — UNC Pembroke; Anyah Brown — town of Princeville outreach coordinator; and Comyra Weeks — Beaufort Community College and Washington County Early College.

The interviews in North Carolina consisted of people from Bertie, Washington, Halifax, Northampton, Currituck, Edgecombe, and Warren counties, while the Indiana survey consisted of people in Stark, Randolph, White, and Marshall counties.

The results of the study, Brickel said, show, “Why we must continue to push educational programs such as the ones hosted by the Center for Energy Education and have residents become familiar and knowledgeable about renewable energy. It will be the key in the progress of rural communities in the future.”

Mozine Lowe, C4EE executive director, told the Radiant Rays, “You have done a tremendous job over the past eight weeks. I wanted to see what would happen when you bring youth together with experienced folks in our communities — our academic leaders, our government leaders, our solo companies and our stakeholders. I just wanted to see what would happen when you all came together to tell the story.”

Lowe said rural communities are very important to the work of the center. “It is part of our mission and what we are trying to do is to find a way for all of our rural communities, our counties, to be part of this clean energy program that is out there.”

The Radiant Rays will continue to be part of the center as youth advisors, Lowe said. “They told me there were people out there who didn’t know a lot about renewable energy. Perhaps we’re not providing enough ways for people to learn about it. The power is youth and carrying out that message.”