🧪📦❤️ Vince Oliver and Tyler Motley slowly rolled a U-Haul truck into the A.C. Reynolds High parking lot on the afternoon of July 31.
The two UNC science lab supervisors steered “like Sunday drivers” up from Chapel Hill, and for good reason. They carried dozens of boxes full of lab glass - Erlenmeyer flasks, thermometers, desiccators, spatulas, scoopulas, filter flasks, separatory funnels, and more. The cargo came as a gift from the university just ahead of the new school year, and it is bound to make a big impact.
“When the hurricane happened, I knew I wanted to help,” Oliver said. “With upcoming renovations, we had more glassware than we knew what to do with, and I wanted to get it to where it could have a second life. It just made sense to reach out.”
Thanks to the UNC donation, BCS high school science labs will be equipped with professional-grade lab materials - everything from beakers and burets to Bunsen burners and glass stir rods. After sending a needs survey to BCS science teachers, Oliver and Motley packed and delivered the boxes of equipment to Reynolds High, where they are being sorted and distributed to high school science classrooms across Buncombe County Schools.
“This donation directly improves our students’ experience,” said BCS K-12 Science Specialist Kate Whittier. “High-quality, reliable lab materials give students a more authentic, hands-on science education. That’s critical for sparking curiosity and building confidence in STEM.”
Beyond the equipment itself, the gesture carries powerful meaning.
“This generosity speaks volumes about our shared commitment to education and community support,” Whittier said. “We see how higher education institutions can directly impact the success of the next generation. It also reinforces the need for authentic, hands-on science education. This donation is a reminder that science education doesn't exist in isolation. It’s a shared responsibility and collective mission.”