Student Success Stories
RHEA LYNNE GORDON MILES, PHD
Date: January 23, 2025 at 6:59:08 PM EST
To: “Miles, Rhea L” <MILESR@ecu.edu>
Subject: Hello from a former CHS student!
Hi Dr. Miles,
I’m not sure if you’d remember me, but I was one of your Chemistry students your first year of teaching at CHS, I think it would’ve been the 1991-1992 school year. I remember you as “Mrs. Miles” and I enjoyed your class so much!
I was reminiscing about my high school years over dinner tonight with my wife and 7-year-old daughter, and I was telling them about your class, so I thought I’d look you up and let you know that you were one of my favorite high school teachers and made chemistry so interesting and exciting – it had a large role in me getting into science as a career. I still remember, ~30+ years later, that first day of class when you did the chemistry demonstration (I think it involved smoke and maybe an explosion) and told us that “Chem – Is – Try”. I remember your energy and enthusiasm and excitement, which in turn had me looking forward to going to Chemistry class each day.
Anyway I’m glad to see you have achieved so much with your career, congrats on all your accomplishments! I’m glad that we were able to cross paths during my high school education and that I got to have you as a teacher for those few years you were at CHS.
And thanks for helping to turn me on to science, I ended up getting a PhD in Animal Behavior and am now a college professor. Funny that you are just down the road at ECU, we have faculty at NC Wesleyan who commute from Greenville! I’m in Raleigh.
Cheers
-Dimitri Blondel
Tuesday, January 19, 2021 12:47 PM
Dr. Miles,
I took your Advanced Studies in Physical Science class this past Fall 2020. I am writing you to let you know that I was awarded the Toshiba grant to purchase V-8 engines and crystal radios for my classroom along with other needed supplies.
Just thought I would share with you since I remember you liked to keep track of how many students of yours are awarded the grants they have applied for.
Thank you again for your guidance. I am so looking forward to these classroom projects.
Sincerely,
Kristen Diehl
Saturday, November 14, 2020 8:08 PM
Good Evening,
I just wanted to let you know that I submitted my grant with the Watauga Education Foundation in September and found out yesterday that I have been honored with receiving the grant. Thank yo for this assignment because otherwise, I would not have submitted a grant this year…
Thank you,
Jennifer Egert Lambert
“Dear Jennifer,
It is our pleasure to inform you that your grant application for funding from the Watauga Education Foundation has been approved! At a recent meeting our Board approved the following:
Taking Science Home
Jennifer Lambert
Cove Creek
As a condition for disbursement, it is necessary that you review and submit the Grant Recipient Acknowledgement form, as an indication of your acceptance of the terms of your grant award. Checks will be mailed directly to schools in the next 2 weeks. Stay tuned for plans to recognize grant recipients and please feel free to reach out with any questions.
We thank you for your enthusiasm, creativity, initiative, and dedication to students in the Watauga County Public Schools! We are truly grateful for the commitment you have made and for all that you do to inspire students!
—
Erika Hudspeth
President
Watauga Education Foundation”
Regional Science Fair
ECU summer camp helps local students Reach Up in science
PUBLISHED APR 06, 2009 BY
FILED UNDER:
GREENVILLE, N.C. — A summer camp at East Carolina University uses hands-on experiments in biology, chemistry and geology to help local African-American students develop an interest in science and science-related careers.
The East Carolina Reach Up Scholarship Program will invite 24 talented students in sixth through eighth grades in Pitt County Schools to participate in this summer’s day camp. The three-week summer portion of the program takes place July 13 – 31, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., on the ECU campus.
The program is free to all African-American participants, thanks to sponsorship by North Carolina GlaxoSmith Kline Foundation Ribbon of Hope Program and East Carolina University.
Rhea Miles, program director and an associate professor in the College of Education, said “Reach Up seeks to close the statistical gap in performance by African-American students in math and science fields.”
The summer camp has been held twice in the past, 2002 and 2004. Data from those years showed that, after participating in the program, more than half of the participants maintained a grade point average above 2.9 and at least half of the students expressed a greater and deeper interest in pursuing a science-related career, Miles said.
“I am proud of those results,” Miles said. “I feel this program has made an important contribution to the community.”
This summer, six ECU students who major in chemistry, biology and geology will serve as counselors and mentors for the campers. ECU faculty members Andrew Morehead (Chemistry), Anthony Overton (Biology) and Mike O’Driscoll (Geology) will supervise the laboratory activities for the middle school students. Cheryl Treadwell, a science teacher at C.M. Eppes Middle School, will assist the middle school participants with designing their science investigations.
Students will also enhance their test-taking skills, and start work on a science fair project that they will complete during the academic year with help from ECU tutors.
Transportation is provided for students who need it. Campers will receive breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack. The application deadline has been extended to April 10.
For more information about the program, visit http://www.ecu.edu/cs-educ/msed/ or call Rhea Miles at 252-328-9366.
