New award will be presented for the next 3 years by Equitable
RALEIGH, N.C. — WakeEd Partnership, a business-backed nonprofit organization committed to supporting teachers and students in Wake County Public Schools, announced today the creation of a new teacher award for Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) educators called the “Star Among Us” award. One educator will be selected each year to be honored at WakeEd’s annual Stars of Education Gala in October. The award will include a $5,000 prize.
In continuing the process of elevating the works and successes of educators, the “Star Among Us” Award will be presented each year alongside the “Friend of Education Award, ” the “Lifetime Achievement Award,” “Emerging Star” Award and the WCPSS Hall of Fame inductees. The new “Emerging Star” student award previously announced in March will be presented this year by Wolfspeed. The new “Star Among Us” teacher award will be presented for the next 3 years by Equitable.
“It is of necessity that we – as a community collective – rally behind these champions of our children and provide them the space to be recognized and to shine bright. Through it all, we can see the dynamic presence of our educators within our local communities, and can see the impact that they have had and continue to have throughout the fabrics of our communities.
The “Star Among Us” award is an honor that is designed to recognize the brilliance of one PreK-12 educator from the WCPSS district, who has a strong presence within their school communities, and their communities-at-large. An “educator” is categorized as someone who:
- Has direct contact, service, or engagement with Wake County Public School System students, for at least 50% of their time. This is inclusive of: general classroom teachers, Instructional Assistants, school counselors, speech pathologists, media specialists, social workers, and school psychologists. Participate Learning teachers are ineligible. Personnel whose major responsibilities are administrative or supervisory are also not eligible.
- Nominations open on Monday, July 31, and can come from self-nomination, peer/colleague nominations, or from community member nominations. We encourage local community members, including parents, students, and other organizational members, to submit a nomination between July 31 – August 18. Nominations close at noon on August 18. Nominations can be submitted at this link.
WakeEd Partnership is continuing to celebrate its 40 Anniversary this year. In addition, WakeEd’s annual Stars of Education Gala will be celebrating its 10th Anniversary on October 12, 2023, held this year at the Raleigh Convention Center. For more information about WakeEd’s Stars of Education Gala, including tickets, tables, and sponsorships available, visit: https://www.wakeed.org/events/stars/
About WakeEd Partnership
Celebrating its 40th Anniversary in 2023, WakeEd Partnership (WakeEd) is a leading independent nonprofit backed by business and community leaders to support the teachers, students, and families of Wake County Public Schools. Since 1983, WakeEd has been committed to improving public education and advocating for excellent educational opportunities for all students. For more information, please visit www.wakeed.org.