HAMPSTEAD — Todd Hewitt — Topsail Middle School a STEM and robotics teacher — has been awarded the 2026 Corning STEM Educator of the Year for the middle school division.
To receive the award Hewitt underwent a competitive application process including educators from across Southeastern North Carolina. He was presented the award by Corning’s Wilmington team – who has been presenting the award annually since 2013 to honor local educators.
“Mr. Hewitt’s passion for STEM education is evident in everything he does,” said director of Career and Technical Education for Pender County Schools Dominique Bates. “He challenges students to think beyond the classroom, embrace innovation and believe in their ability to solve complex problems. This honor reflects the positive impact he has on his students, his school and our district. We are incredibly proud of this well-deserved recognition.”
On June 11, Hewitt was celebrated at UNCW’s Soar into Stem conference and then by Corning on July 20.
Hewitt works with students through project based learning to encourage students to explore engineering, coding, robotics and design.
“His classroom challenges students to think critically, work collaboratively and solve real-world problems while developing technical and employability skills that will support them in school and beyond,” Pender County Schools spokesperson Bob Fankboner said in a statement.
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