Events Archives - WakeEd

Wake County’s Stars of Education to Be Honored October 30th at WakeEd Partnership Annual Gala Event

WakeEd — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 13:48:46 +0000

RALEIGH, N.C. — WakeEd Partnership will honor Wake County’s Stars of Education next Wednesday, October 30^th, at its annual gala event at the Raleigh Convention Center. A reception kicks off the event at 5:00 PM and the awards part of the program begins at 6:45 PM.

WakeEd Partnership is honoring Representative Rosa Gill with this year’s Vernon Malone Friend of Education Award presented by the YMCA of the Triangle. Gill, who is not seeking reelection this year after 7 terms in the North Carolina House, is being honored for decades of leadership and public service for the children of Wake County including 20 years in the classroom, 10 years on the Wake County Board of Education and 15 years in the General Assembly. Since 1990, this award has been presented to an individual who has made significant contributions to public education and shares the qualities of the late Senator Vernon Malone, who advocated tirelessly for every child to have equitable opportunities.

“Rosa Gill has been a positive force for our public schools for decades, first as a classroom teacher, then serving in leadership on the Wake County Board of Education, and the last 15 years fighting for public education and children’s issues at the North Carolina General Assembly,” said Keith Poston, President, WakeEd Partnership. “Rosa Gill has literally seen it all and given her all for the children of Wake County and we’ve been so blessed as a state to have visionary leaders like Rosa Gill who understand the transformative and foundational power of public schools.”

Six honorees will join the Wake County Public School System Hall of Fame. Since 2013, the WCPSS Hall of Fame has recognized individuals who have made an impact locally in the categories of Arts, Athletics, Business, Community Service, Education, and Entrepreneurship.

The Class of 2024 inductees are:

Arts | Sara Maria Blanton, Founder & Executive Director, Raleigh Music Collective
Athletics | Mark Indermaur, Founder, Indermaur Chess Foundation
Business | Brad Wilson, Former President and CEO, Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC
Community Service | Barb Walsh, Founder & Executive Director, Fentanyl Victims Network of North Carolina
Education | Dr. Valencia Hicks-Harris, Founder & Executive Director, Empower All, Inc.
Entrepreneurship | Community Workforce Solutions

Last year WakeEd Partnership announced the creation of a new teacher award for one Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) teacher – the “Star Among Us” Award; and the creation of a new student award for one WCPSS senior high school student – the “Emerging Star” Award. Both awards include a $5,000 prize for each recipient and will be presented at the Stars of Education Gala.

The “Emerging Star” Award is being presented this year by Wolfspeed to Nabiha Rahman. Nabiha is a rising senior at Green Hope High School in Cary, NC. Students were nominated by their administrative staff, with input from teachers and other staff members across WCPSS’s high schools. There were 37 nominations in total, with 12 finalists including Ms. Rahman.

The “Star Among Us” Award is being presented this year by Equitable to Bugg Magnet Elementary’s Aneesa McKenzie-Thompson. Teachers were nominated through an open-community nomination process. During this time, over 200 nominations from across the district were submitted. Teachers nominated self-selected to participate further in the process. In the end, 9 finalists were selected including Ms. McKenzie-Thompson.

More info about the event and each honoree can be found here: https://www.wakeed.org/stars-of-education-gala/

About WakeEd Partnership
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.

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New Education Talk Series Announced – EdTalks

WakeEd — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 16:01:57 +0000

EdTalks will be presented on the evening of March 21, 2024, at Jones Auditorium at Meredith College.

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 annual educator speaker series for Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) titled, EdTalks.

In continuing the process of elevating the work of educators, the EdTalks series will be hosted each year to provide space for educators to inform community members’ thinking surrounding education. educators will be selected to speak on topics aligned with the selected theme of the year. This year’s theme is Reimagine.

WakeEd’s EdTalks is modeled after the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Foundation’s Teacher Talks series – and both are modeled after the highly-regarded TED talks.

The event will be held on March 21, 2024, at Meredith College’s Jones Auditorium from 7 pm – 9 pm. The following tickets are available:

General Admission – $25
Educator Admission – $10 (with promotional code)
Student Admission – $5 (with promotional code)

To purchase tickets to EdTalks, visit: www.eventbrite.com/e/edtalks-2024-tickets-801596555877.

Reach out to events@wakeed.org to obtain educator and or student promotional discounts.

The following five educators were selected to bring their exciting visions of education to the stage:

Leonardo Baquero, Intervention and Acceleration Educator at Heritage High School
Jason King, English/Capstone Educator at Heritage High School
Neil McEwen, 5th Grade Educator at Partnership Elementary School
Betsy Moore, Instructional Facilitator/Literacy Coach at Richland Creek Elementary School
Bettina Pope, School Counselor at Wake Forest High School

“Educators are the foundation of critical thinking in terms of moving education forward. It’s important that we as a community provide them a platform to elevate, engage, and enhance their thoughts around moving the needle of education,” said Douglas Price, Director of Programs, WakeEd Partnership.

WCPSS Area Superintendents and Principals submitted nominations. Finalists were interviewed and selected by an interview committee, hosted by WakeEd.

Sponsorship opportunities are now available for this inaugural event. Visit WakeEd’s website for more information visit: www.wakeed.org/edtalks/ or download the Sponsorship Package here: adobe.ly/3HyiGlQ

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WakeEd Announces New Educator Award “Star Among Us” for Stars of Education Gala

WakeEd — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 15:54:04 +0000

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.

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WakeEd Partnership Launching Community School Supply Drive July 12th

WakeEd — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 13:55:00 +0000

Collected items will stock the shelves at Tools4Schools, WakeEd’s Free Classroom Supply Store for Teachers

RALEIGH, N.C. — WakeEd Partnership (WakeEd), a business-backed nonprofit organization committed to supporting staff and students in the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) is launching “Back to School with Tools4Schools” on July 12, a six-week community-wide school supply drive to stock the shelves and warehouse at Tools4Schools. The drive runs from July 12 to August 23, concluding just before the start of the traditional school year.

“Thanks to the generosity of the community and our many funding partners, we opened our free classroom supply store last year and have already given away more than $340,000 in new classroom supplies directly to teachers in Wake County,” said Keith Poston, President, WakeEd Partnership. “Now that the word is out among teachers about Tools4Schools, we expect the number of teachers shopping to go up significantly this coming school year and we want to be ready with fully stocked shelves.”

KICK-OFF EVENT

The Community Supply Drive will officially kick-off on Wednesday, July 12th at 10:30 AM at the Southeast Raleigh YMCA, 1436 Rock Quarry Road, Raleigh, NC 27610. The YMCA of the Triangle is partnering with WakeEd Partnership to collect school supplies at their Wake County locations to support the Tools4Schools Community Supply Drive.

The Need

Based on research, each year Wake County teachers spend an average of $926 out of their own pockets for classroom supplies for their students. Since Tools4Schools opened in January 2022, WakeEd Partnership has given away more than $340,000 in new classroom supplies to Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) teachers. Tools4Schools has served 4,378 teachers from 93% of Wake County Public Schools. Additionally, 98% of teachers agree that Tools4Schools has reduced their out-of-pocket expenses.

School Supply Community Drop-Boxes

The Community Supply Drive will feature drop-off locations across Wake County. Additionally, several businesses and organizations are holding their own school supply drives to collect items for Tools4Schools. If you are interested in hosting a drop box, complete the form here. To view the Community Supply Drive Toolkit, click here.

Drop-Box Locations

Tools4Schools, 1660 Piney Plains Drive, Cary NC 27518
Culver’s of Apex, 1401 Kelly Rd., Apex, NC 27502
YMCA Locations:
A.E. Finley YMCA, 9216 Baileywick Road, Raleigh, NC 27613
Kerr Family YMCA, 2500 Wakefield Pines Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614
Taylor Family YMCA, 101 YMCA Drive, Cary, NC
Northwest Cary YMCA, 6903 Carpenter Fire Station Road, Cary, NC
Poyner YMCA, 227 Fayetteville Street, Raleigh, NC
Alexander Family YMCA, 1603 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC
Poole Family YMCA, 2110 Aversboro Road, Garner, NC
Kraft Family YMCA, 8921 Holly Springs Road, Apex, NC
YMCA of the Triangle Association Resource Center, 801 Corporate Center Drive, Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27607
Knightdale Station YMCA, 494 Knightdale Station Run, Knightdale, NC 27545
Southeast Raleigh YMCA, 1436 Rock Quarry Road, Raleigh, NC 27610
Edwards Beightol Law Firm, 1033 Oberlin Road, Suite 100, Raleigh, NC 27605
TowneBank, 3535 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC
Holly Springs Masonic Lodge, 224 Raleigh St, Holly Springs, NC 27540
Ameriprise Financial Services, 3600 Glenwood Ave, Ste 130, Raleigh, NC 27610
Massage Envy Morrisville, 1001 Market Center Drive, Ste 30, Morrisville, NC 27560
Massage Envy Apex Beaver Creek, 1473 Beaver Creek Commons Dr., Apex, NC 27502
Massage Envy Cary, 1385 Kildaire Farm Road, Cary, NC 27511
Trinity Partners, Perimeter Park – Office Park in Morrisville, NC 27560

Special Events and Supply Drives (More Coming!)

UNC Health will hold its annual school supply drive campaign ending on August 4th with a “Stuff the Bus” event at UNC Rex Hospital and will deliver the supplies to the Tools4Schools store. Further details of this event will be announced soon.

SAS’ United in STEM interns and Skillbridge Fellows are running a month-long donation drive in July. They’ll collect and analyze data from teachers to understand what their classrooms need most, so contributions from SAS employees and others make the biggest impact possible. Items will be collected on SAS’ campus and via the SAS Beginning Teacher Wish List.

Staples at 3064 Wake Forest Road, Raleigh, NC 27609 (Holly Park Shopping Center) is selling classroom supply kits at the cash register for $5 each through September. All boxes sold will go to Tools4Schools to put in the hands of our Wake County teachers. Each box has Expo markers, Sharpies, Sharpie highlighters, Paper Mate pens and pencils and Elmer’s glue products.  

How can you support Tools4Schools?

MAKE A CASH DONATION – DOUBLE YOUR GIFT. All gifts are tax-deductible. Click here to donate using a debit or credit card. Checks can be mailed to WakeEd Partnership at 3101 Industrial Drive, Suite 100, Raleigh, NC 27609, with Tools4Schools on the memo line. The 4Others Foundation will match ALL MONETARY DONATIONS to Tools4Schools through September 30 up to $50,000.

DONATE SCHOOL SUPPLIES. In addition to the annual Community Supply Drive in the summer, WakeEd accepts donations of new and gently used classroom supplies year-round to fill the shelves at Tools4Schools. A list of the most popular items requested by teachers at Tools4Schools can be found here. Donations can be dropped off year-round at Tools4Schools. Coordinate your delivery by contacting the WakeEd team at Tools4Schools@wakeed.org.

DONATE SCHOOL SUPPLIES USING OUR AMAZON WISH LIST. Shop the Amazon Wishlist to buy items most-requested by teachers and ship to the shelves at Tools4Schools. Click here and select the Tools4Schools address at checkout.

DONATE GENTLY USED OFFICE SUPPLIES. In addition to new supplies, WakeEd Partnership takes donations of gently used items for classrooms from companies, organizations, and individuals.

HOST A SUPPLY DRIVE. If your business or organization is interested in hosting a supply drive, click here to register your Tools4Schools classroom supply drive and click here to download our classroom supply drive kit and start collecting! If you have any questions, email Tools4Schools@wakeed.org. 

VOLUNTEER AT TOOLS4SCHOOLS. WakeEd Partnership is seeking volunteers to help stock shelves, interact with educators, count and inventory supplies, package and sort supplies. If your family, club, or organization is interested in volunteering, click here to sign up via ActivateGood!

For information about additional giving opportunities, including corporate sponsorships, contact our fundraising team at development@wakeed.org.

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.

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WakeEd Partnership Announces 2023 Stars of Education Honorees

WakeEd — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 13:55:00 +0000

Tom Bradshaw to receive Vernon Malone Friend of Education Award, Six New Inductees Join Wake County Public Schools Hall of Fame

RALEIGH, N.C. — WakeEd Partnership (WakeEd), a business-backed nonprofit organization committed to supporting teachers and students in Wake County Public Schools, today announced this year’s honorees for its 10th annual Stars of Education Gala, presented this year by Martin Marietta. The event will be held on Thursday, October 12, 2023, at the Raleigh Convention Center. This is WakeEd’s 10th annual Stars of Education event and a celebration of WakeEd’s 40th anniversary.

WakeEd Partnership is honoring Thomas W. Bradshaw, Jr. with this year’s Vernon Malone Friend of Education Award. Bradshaw is being honored for decades of leadership and public service for the children of Wake County. Since 1990, this award has been presented to an individual who has made significant contributions to our community and shares the qualities of the late Senator Vernon Malone, who advocated tirelessly for every child to have equitable opportunities.

Bradshaw, a Broughton High School graduate, began his career on the advertising staff at the News & Observer, Vice President of North Hills, Inc., and President of North Hills Realty. In 1969, Bradshaw entered politics as a Raleigh City Councilor and, in 1971, became the youngest Mayor in Raleigh’s history at age 32. He drove major improvements to city infrastructure and services, leading campaigns for almost $60 million in bond issues.

In 1977, Bradshaw was appointed Secretary of the NC Department of Transportation by Governor Jim Hunt. Bradshaw’s work in the transportation arena led to a long distinguished financial career traveling between Raleigh and Wall Street as Managing Director and Co-Head of the Transportation Group for Citigroup Global Markets.

Tom Bradshaw has led and served on multiple nonprofit boards including Chair of the Raleigh Chamber and NC Citizens for Business and Industry (now NC Chamber), Vice Chairman of the North Carolina Global TransPark Authority, President of the Triangle United Way, and is a very active member of the Raleigh Kiwanis Club.

He has been a key player in every successful Wake County Public School System bond campaign over the past 50 years. He is deeply committed to the Public School Forum of North Carolina where he has served for more than 30 years, including as Chair, in support of our state’s public schools. Most recently, Tom served as a leader for the transformative Southeast Raleigh Promise effort that included opening a new state-of-the-art school and world-class YMCA facility in Southeast Raleigh.

At the Stars of Education Gala, six remarkable individuals will join the Wake County Public School System Hall of Fame. Since 2013, the WCPSS Hall of Fame has recognized individuals who have made an impact locally in the categories of Arts, Athletics, Business, Community Service, Education, and Entrepreneurship. The Class of 2023 includes:

Arts | Freddie-Lee Heath, WCPSS Arts Director (Retired)

A veteran dance educator for more than three decades, Freddie-Lee Heath most recently served as Director of Arts Education for Wake County Public School System until his retirement earlier this year. In his most recent position, Freddie-Lee worked with more than 500 art instructors of all disciplines in more than 160 schools across Wake County.

From 1992 to 2015, Mr. Heath worked as a dance teacher across seven schools. He kept dance current and relevant to the needs of his students, while developing a new curriculum for Wake County Public School System, including Swing Dance, Dance in the Media, Video Dance, and Twist and Tone. He has received numerous awards including National Dance Educator of the Year, Order of the Long Leaf Pine, and the prestigious Medal of Arts award from the City of Raleigh Arts Commission, the City’s highest arts honor.

Athletics | Paul Dinkenor, Leesville Road High School Soccer Coach & Teacher (Retired)

A native of Manchester, England, Paul Dinkenor has taught and coached soccer in North Carolina since 1987. A member of the NC Soccer Hall of Fame, Dinkenor led Leesville Road High School boys’ and girls’ soccer teams to several championships, earning titles in Class 4A boys in 1997 and 1999, and in 4A girls in 2008, 2009 and 2011.

Paul’s coaching has not gone unnoticed by his peers. He has been named State Coach of the Year twice, Regional Coach of the Year 14 times and Conference Coach of the Year 21 times. He was also named the 2020 Raleigh Sports Club Coach of the Year. This year, he retired from Leesville Road High School, where he has served since the school opened in 1993. Off the pitch Dinkenor is a beloved social studies teacher and is the architect of the school’s “World Religions and the Bible in History” course.

Business | John Palmour, Chief Technology Officer Wolfspeed (Cree Co-Founder) (Deceased)

A graduate of Broughton High School, John Palmour continued his education, earning his Bachelor\’s and Doctoral degrees in Materials Science and Engineering from NC State in 1982 and 1988, respectively. Palmour and several fellow NC State graduates co-founded what became Cree, Inc., a successful Durham-based LED lighting company. Cree, now Wolfspeed, focuses on the design and manufacturing of silicon carbide and GaN materials, power-switching and RF devices.

Palmour served as Chief Technology Officer of Wolfspeed until his passing in November of 2022. Wolfspeed’s large manufacturing facility is under construction in Chatham County and will be named after him as the John Palmour Manufacturing Center for Silicon Carbide. The facility will be the world’s largest producer of silicon carbide. Palmour’s career included 142 patents and 386 scientific publications. Throughout his life, Palmour believed in giving back to students in Wake County, and at his beloved NC State.

Community Service | Kassandra Love Watson, UCB Biosciences, Inc.

Kassandra Love Watson has been with UCB Biosciences for over 18 years, currently serving as US Contracts Coordinator for Strategic Clinical Partnering. Watson holds leadership positions with UCB’s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), BEING, Women in Leadership and United for Veterans; and is an ally member of all other ERGs.

The daughter of two educators and a strong advocate for education, Watson became an active PTA member in 1998, the year her daughter began school. She served in numerous leadership roles on several PTAs/PTSAs boards including President of Heritage High School PTSA. During her tenure as Heritage PTSA president, she received a Volunteer of the Year award from Wake County PTA Council. She held multiple leadership roles in the Wake PTA Council including treasurer, secretary, and president. During her time as Wake County PTA Council president, Kassandra took advantage of her affiliation with WakeEd. She introduced the SummerSTEM program to the UCB RTP leadership team and they have been a host company ever since.

She holds an MBA from Purdue University, and a Bachelor\’s in Communications from N.C. State University and is a proud product of Cleveland County Public Schools (Shelby, NC). Her strong advocacy for education is driven by her unquenchable passion for helping each student maximize their potential.

Education | Leon Herndon, Wake County Public Schools Administrator and Trailblazer (Deceased)

Born in Apex, Leon Herndon attended segregated schools in Chatham County and later Shaw University in Raleigh, NC, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 1960. He subsequently attended North Carolina College (now North Carolina Central University), earning his Master\’s in Education in 1962. He started his educational career as a high school science teacher in Robeson County. He returned to the Triangle to teach science at Ligon High School and later at Enloe High School.

In 1972, he made history at Enloe by becoming the first Black Principal of a predominately White school in the county\’s history. In 1983, Herndon made history again by becoming the first Black principal of Apex High School. He later served as principal of Carroll Middle School in Raleigh until his retirement in 2001. Following his retirement, Herndon focused on early childhood education, joining his wife, Shirley, in founding Bright Beginnings Child Development Center in Cary. In March 2023, Herndon passed away. He leaves a legacy that has impacted many lives in North Carolina.

Entrepreneurship | Johnny Hackett, Jr., Founder, The Black Dollar Corp.

A native of Greenville, South Carolina, Johnny Hackett’s family moved to Raleigh in 1998, where he graduated from Broughton High School and later attended North Carolina A&T State University. Johnny began his career as a Six Sigma Black Belt at Fortune 500 Companies such as Xerox, IBM, BlueCross BlueShield of NC, and B-Corp Unity Web Agency before walking away from his corporate job in 2011 to pursue entrepreneurship.

In 2019, he established The Black Dollar Corp. His business is now the parent company of #BlackDollarNC, an online directory for Black-owned businesses across North Carolina. It also includes Black Friday Market, a retail hub for online businesses; and The Factory, a co-manufacturing facility. Hackett is an active member of the Raleigh community. He is on the Board of Directors at A Place at the Table and the Downtown Raleigh Alliance and serves on Dogwood State Bank’s advisory board. Hackett was named Triangle Business Journal’s 2021 40 Under 40 Award Recipient and Triangle Tribune’s 2021 Newsmakers of the Year.

Individual tickets for the event are $150 and can be purchased here. Sponsorship opportunities are also available now. Visit WakeEd’s website for more information: www.WakeEd.org/Stars or download the PDF here.

About WakeEd Partnership

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WakeEd Partnership Announces 2022 Stars of Education Honorees

WakeEd — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 17:00:12 +0000

RALEIGH, N.C. — WakeEd Partnership (WakeEd), a business-backed nonprofit organization committed to supporting teachers and students in Wake County Public Schools, today announced this year’s honorees for its annual Stars of Education Gala. Stars of Education returns this year as an in-person event for the first time since 2019 to celebrate public schools and public education champions on October 20, 2022, at the Raleigh Convention Center.

WakeEd will honor Ralph Capps, President & CEO, Wake County Boys & Girls Clubs with the Vernon Malone Friend of Education Award. WakeEd has been presenting this award since 1990 to an individual who has made significant contributions to our community and shares qualities of the late Senator Vernon Malone who advocated tirelessly for every child to have equitable opportunities. Recipients of this award set a high standard for selfless dedication— moving from words to deeds that have a lasting impact. Ralph Capps is being honored for 50 years of leadership and service to the children of Wake County.

“Ralph Capps stands out in the community with his boundless energy, infectious optimism and incredible loving spirit as he serves the children in Wake County who need it most now for nearly 50 years” said Keith Poston, President, WakeEd Partnership. “It would be impossible to calculate the number of people Ralph has positively influenced over the decades whether they were Club members, their families, staff, Board members and volunteers. Ralph Capps is truly a one of a kind servant leader.”

Additionally, seven remarkable individuals will join the Wake County Public School System Hall of Fame. Since 2013, the WCPSS Hall of Fame has been recognizing individuals who have made an impact locally in the categories of Arts, Athletics, Business, Community Service, Education, and Entrepreneurship. This year’s Hall of Fame class includes:

Arts | Ariana DeBose, Academy-Award Winning Actress

Raleigh native Ariana DeBose is an award-winning actress known for her varying roles onstage and in film and television. DeBose is best known for her groundbreaking performance in Steven Spielberg’s reimagining of WEST SIDE STORY, for which she received Oscar, BAFTA, Critics Choice, and SAG Awards for her star turning role as Anita. Her performance has received universal critical acclaim, with Variety calling her a “radiant force of nature” and Forbes writing “Ariana DeBose shines in an absolutely star-making performance”. In winning her Oscar, she became the first openly queer Afro Latina to win an Academy Award. In 2015, DeBose appeared alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda in the groundbreaking, Tony-winning musical Hamilton as a member of the original cast in both the Broadway and off-Broadway productions, as well as the Emmy Award winning film version. She is a graduate of Wake Forest – Rolesville High School.

Athletics | James “Twiggy” Sanders, Former Harlem Globetrotter

James “Twiggy” Sanders spent 17 years with the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters, touring with the basketball club from 1974 to 1991. Sanders played collegiate basketball at Johnson C. Smith where he was one of the leading scorers and rebounders in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). A graduate of then John W. Ligon High School in Raleigh, in recent years Twiggy has both coached and been a substitute teacher in Wake County Public Schools.

Business | Jim Hansen, PNC Bank

James “Jim” M. Hansen, is the regional president of Eastern Carolina and Southeast territory executive for PNC Bank. As senior regional territory executive, he is responsible for PNC’s business, implementing the company’s strategy and delivering the brand in the region. He also leads all sponsorship and philanthropic efforts for the region. In addition to his PNC Bank responsibilities, Hansen is actively engaged with North Carolina CEOs focused on increasing 3rd-grade reading proficiency. He is board chair of the North Carolina State University Board of Visitors and Vice-chair of the North Carolina Bankers Association. He serves on the executive committee of the North Carolina Chamber and the Dix Park Conservancy.

Community Service | Caitlin Gooch, Saddle Up and Read

Caitlin Gooch is an equestrian, mother of four, self-published author and the founder of Saddle Up and Read, a nonprofit program committed to encouraging youth literacy based in Wendell, NC. Caitlin Gooch is passionate about sharing her horses and experiences growing up with them. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from East Carolina University, where she was able to put academic context to the social cycle of systemic racial inequality. While working with youth in her community, Caitlin was exposed to the educational disparities plaguing communities of color and decided to take action, starting with the literacy gap. Leading with equestrian culture, her first passion, Caitlin uses her horses to incentivize reading, making it more fun! In addition to Saddle Up and Read, Caitlin is the co-leader of a 4-H horse club in Wake County, she is an advocate for equestrian helmet safety, and the host of North Carolina Public Radio\’s (WUNC) newest podcast show, The Story Stables.

Education | Peggy Barfield Churn, Educator, School Leader and Equity Champion

Peggy Barfield Churn was passionate about public education, and more specifically equity, diversity, and excellence in schools. She taught for many years in Wake County Public Schools (WCPSS) at Boylan, Frances Lacy, Douglas, Hunter, and Underwood Elementary Schools. She completed her Masters in Education at Duke University while she continued working full time and began serving in several leadership roles within WCPSS. Peggy was the first WCPSS Director of Magnet Programs and in that role, she became known as a champion and torch bearer for desegregation and equity in public education Peggy Barfield Churn passed away earlier this year and will be honored posthumously at this year’s Stars of Education event.

Entrepreneurship | Victor Lytvinenko and Sarah Yarborough, Raleigh Denim Workshop

Victor Lytvinenko and Sarah Yarborough started Raleigh Denim Workshop in 2007 in their hometown of Raleigh, NC and were inducted to the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) in 2013. The husband-wife team learned the techniques of traditional American jeans-making through seeking out a series of informal apprenticeships with factory workers, patternmakers, and mechanics throughout the state. Raleigh Denim Workshop\’s products are all produced with a focus on design, process, material, and craft. Sarah and Victor have collaborated on projects with OMA, Patagonia, Kate Spade, John Patrick Organic, Pilsner Urquell – exhibited at Art Basil Miami, and has been designing furniture and upholstery with Bernhardt Design for many years. Sarah Yarborough and Victor Lytvinenko both attended Wake County Public Schools.

“These seven individuals represent the very best of Wake County and we’re proud to induct them into the Wake County Public Schools Hall of Fame for all they have done and continue to contribute to our wonderful state and community,” said Poston.

About WakeEd Partnership
WakeEd Partnership is an independent, nonprofit organization composed of business and community leaders committed to improving public education. Since 1983, the Partnership has advocated for excellent educational opportunities for all students in the Wake County Public School System. For more information, please visit www.wakeed.org.

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