Feature Archives - WakeEd

New Student and Educator Award Announced for Stars of Ed Gala

WakeEd — Thu, 28 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0000

WakeEd Partnership recently 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 will include a $5,000 prize for each recipient and will be presented on October 12, 2023, at WakeEd’s 10^th Annual Stars of Education Gala.

The Emerging Star Award is being presented by Wolfspeed to Sanderson High School senior: Benjamin Cashwell. Benjamin is a vibrant member of his school community engaging with organizations such as DECA and has worked to expand his outreach and impact to the larger Wake County community, through his endeavors with equity work, including the WCPSS Steering Committee for the Equity Team. Students were nominated by their administrative staff, with input from teachers and other staff members across WCPSS’s high schools. There were 40 nominations total, with 10 finalists including Mr. Cashwell.

The Star Among Us Award is being presented by Equitable to WCPSS Hilburn Drive Academy School’s: Amanda Hummel. Mrs. Hummel is the school’s Pre-K Special Education teacher and plays a significant role in the lives of families, the school community, and Wake County. During her tenure, Mrs. Hummel has worked to support her students and their families with gaining access to life-changing supports, such as specialized wheelchairs and other adaptive resources, as well as through her work in helping to establish and expand access through the implementation of adaptive resources and materials at her school. Teachers were nominated through an open-community nomination process. During this time, over 900 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. Hummel.

In continuing the process of elevating the works and successes of educators, the Emerging Star Award and the Star Among Us Award will be presented each year alongside the Friend of Education Award, Lifetime Achievement Award, and the WCPSS Hall of Fame inductees.

“It is a tremendous thrill to be able to utilize a platform like the Stars of Education gala to elevate and amplify the powerful work that both our students and teachers are continuing to have on our communities,” said Douglas Price, Director of Programs, WakeEd Partnership.

Both the Emerging Star and Star Among Us awards are honors that are designed to recognize the brilliance of one high school senior and one K-12 educator from the WCPSS district, respectively, who have a strong presence within their school communities, and their communities-at-large.

WakeEd Partnership is continuing to celebrate its 40th 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: 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

The post New Student and Educator Award Announced for Stars of Ed Gala appeared first on WakeEd.

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

The post WakeEd Partnership Launching Community School Supply Drive July 12th appeared first on WakeEd.

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

The post WakeEd Partnership Announces 2023 Stars of Education Honorees appeared first on WakeEd.

WakeEd Partnership and Wake County Public Schools Kick Off Summer Career Pathways Program

WakeEd — Tue, 20 Jun 2023 14:47:32 +0000

RALEIGH, N.C. — Career Accelerator, WakeEd Partnership’s career pathways summer program developed in partnership with Wake County Public Schools, kicks off today – Tuesday, June 20 – and runs through Wednesday, June 28. Nearly 500 rising 10th – 12th graders will participate in this full-day program, offering real-world workplace experiences and connecting students with employers to explore career pathways and opportunities.

Career Accelerator started last summer and has expanded with new sites and features to reach even more students interested in this unique summer experience.

Expanded from 6 high school host sites to 23 sites making the program more accessible including bus transportation provided to all students who request it
New $150 stipend for all students who successfully participate in and complete key elements of the program
Final Networking Event: industry and college event for Career Accelerator students to put their new networking skills into practice

Students across Wake County will convene each day at 23 high school sites and will travel to companies and organizations across the Triangle that are offering immersions in their workplaces. In addition to immersion experiences, students will receive coaching and instruction in other workforce development areas at the school sites, such as online portfolio and resume building, social media use and interviewing skills featuring guest speakers from across the Triangle.

On Wednesday, June 28th from 10 am to 1 pm, there will be a final Industry Networking Event at Enloe High School for all students who participated featuring businesses and local colleges and universities.

“Once again the business community really stepped up to provide these amazing workplace immersions for our students,” said Keith Poston, President, WakeEd Partnership. “The future workforce is already here and graduating from Wake County Public Schools. Career Accelerator will allow students to see first-hand what kinds of jobs and careers are available and most importantly the path to get there.”

“We hope Career Accelerator is both a showcase for companies who are looking to build their workforce pipeline and for these amazing students who chose to spend part of their summer break learning about career opportunities in their own backyard,” added Poston.

The following companies and organizations are participating over the next two weeks:

Bobbitt
Brightly Software
The Center for Additive Manufacturing and Logistics at North Carolina State University
Clark Nexsen
Delta Airlines
Friday Institute
Germano Architecture + Interiors
Kasper Architects + Associates
Marbles Kids Museum
Parker Lord
Red Hat
SAS
Schneider Electric
UNC Health
Wake County Public Schools
Wake Tech Community College
Whiting-Turner
Williams Realty & Building Company
Wolfspeed

MEDIA ADVISORY: Members of the media who wish to attend one of the workplace immersions please contact Keith Poston at WakeEd Partnership at 919-780-5205 or kposton@wakeed.org to coordinate access.

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.

The post WakeEd Partnership and Wake County Public Schools Kick Off Summer Career Pathways Program appeared first on WakeEd.

Triangle Leaders Join WakeEd Partnership Board of Directors; Emma Browning of Paradox Consulting Partners Elected Board Chair

WakeEd — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 14:15:00 +0000

RALEIGH, N.C. — WakeEd Partnership (WakeEd), a business-backed nonprofit organization that supports public schools in Wake County, announced today that Emma Browning, Managing Director of Paradox Consulting Partners, has been elected Chair of its Board of Directors. Seven other business and community leaders will join WakeEd’s Board of Directors effective July 1, 2023, for three-year terms.

New Board members joining WakeEd Partnership include:

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\”4.14.8\” _module_preset=\”default\” global_colors_info=\”{}\”][et_pb_column type=\”4_4\” _builder_version=\”4.14.8\” _module_preset=\”default\” global_colors_info=\”{}\”][et_pb_image src=\”https://www.wakeed.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BoardNew23-1.png\” title_text=\”BoardNew23\” _builder_version=\”4.14.8\” _module_preset=\”default\” global_colors_info=\”{}\”][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\”4.14.8\” _module_preset=\”default\” global_colors_info=\”{}\”][et_pb_column type=\”4_4\” _builder_version=\”4.14.8\” _module_preset=\”default\” global_colors_info=\”{}\”][et_pb_text _builder_version=\”4.14.8\” _module_preset=\”default\” global_colors_info=\”{}\”]

“40 years ago a group of visionary leaders came together to form Wake Education Partnership because they believed in public education and thought an organization like ours was needed to support Wake County Public Schools and ensure all our students had the opportunity for a world-class education”, said Keith Poston, President, WakeEd Partnership. “We are so fortunate to add this new crop of leaders to our Board to guide us forward in our continued work to support our teachers, schools, school leaders and students.”

Emma Browning is the Founder and Managing Director of Paradox Consulting Partners, a management consulting company based in the Triangle that aligns talent strategy with business strategy. She founded Paradox after almost a decade with a national consulting firm to create impact in the community where she lives. Prior to business school, she worked as Director of Communications and Director of Social Enterprises at an arts education nonprofit in Washington, D.C. She is passionate about innovation and creating equitable opportunity. She has a BA from Wake Forest University and MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. She enjoys spending time with her kids and family and exploring the dynamic business and arts scene in the Triangle.

David Gillham is a Senior Engineering Manager for Analytics at Raleigh-based software company Pendo. Prior to his time at Pendo, David graduated from North Carolina State University in Computer Engineering and worked as an engineering leader at SAS Institute for over 20 years. In addition to his work in engineering, he regularly contributed to local nonprofits such as Habitat for Humanity, Kramden Institute, and the National Inclusion Project. A native of Wilmington, North Carolina, David has lived in the Triangle area for over 25 years.

Tafa Magaya is SVP (Senior Vice President) for Strategy, Marketing, and Innovation at Loparex. He has over 22 years of experience, which includes application engineering, innovation, product management, strategy, sustainability, and leadership roles ranging from startups to multi-billion dollar companies. A true global citizen, Tafa is fluent in 3 languages – Shona, German and English. He was born and raised in Zimbabwe and moved to Germany after high school, where he obtained a Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering at Berlin University of Applied Sciences, on a full academic scholarship from the Carl Duisburg Society. He also has an MBA from the Sloan School of Management at MIT. Tafa is married with an older daughter in middle school and a younger son in 1st grade. As the son of two educators, he is passionate about education, and the opportunities that it can open up in life.

Kamar Perkins enlisted in the United States Army right after high school and would go on to become a paratrooper within the United States Army’s 3rd Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, North Carolina. While in the 3rd Special Forces Group, Kamar distinguished himself by being elected the company, the battalion, the group, and the United States Army’s Best Warrior in 2018. Perkins went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in History from Campbell University. After earning the Green to Gold Scholarship, Perkins would earn his commission into the United States Army North Carolina National Guard. He would then go on to graduate from the United States Army’s Logistical College in Fort Lee, Virginia, where he earned his mark as a Logistics Officer in the United States Army, North Carolina National Guard. He continues to serve in a part-time capacity with the North Carolina National Guard’s military funeral honors. As a full-time job, Perkins is the managing partner of the organization When People Work and the Director of Veterans Services and Affairs. This organization helps individuals who are returning from prison or leaving military service to re-enter society and become contributing members of the community.

Iman-N-Lah S. Rasheed is the Workforce Development Program Manager and a CPC-DevelopMe Leadership Coach for UNC Health. She has been with the organization since 2020 and has over 10 years directly working as a Workforce Development professional. Iman-N-Lah has a passion and love for working with individuals to assist them with reaching their goals surrounding employment training, placement and career coaching. Prior to joining UNC Health, Iman-N-Lah held the position as the Assistant Career Center Manager with the NC Department of Commerce Division of Workforce Solutions-NC Works Career Center of Durham. Some of her other workforce development roles include Employment & Education Services Manager with Passage Home, Inc., Workforce Development Coordinator with Passage Home, Inc., Director of Workforce Innovations with the North Carolina Institute of Minority Economic Development and a Credit Analyst/College Coordinator with the North Carolina Institute of Minority Economic Development.

Gil Shoaf grew up in a small town outside of Lexington, North Carolina. In 2016, he graduated from North Carolina State University with a Bachelor\’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. Following graduation, Shoaf completed the Engineering Development Program at John Deere where he worked in the research and development department as well as the test lab. Following that, he worked for 4 years as a Design Engineer for John Deere’s golf mower product line. Currently, Shoaf works as a Verification and Validation Engineer for connectivity product solutions for John Deere’s Turf and Compact Utility business unit. Since 2021, he has served as the JD Inspire Site Coordinator for the factory in Fuquay Varina. In this role, he works to engage with the local community to promote STEM education and has worked with WakeEd on our SummerSTEM program and is now supporting WakeEd’s new Career Exploration middle school initiatives.

Jack Turnwald (They/Them) is an award-winning, trans non-binary, former educator of 19 years. Having earned a Bachelor’s in English and Psychology from Miami University in Ohio and a M.A.T. from Duke University, they entered the classroom with a lens that prioritized inclusiveness, safety, and challenging academics. They brought with them a global lens after working in South Korea as a Fulbright scholar and educator for six years. Throughout their years in North Carolina’s Public Schools, they became a vocal advocate and builder of culturally responsive curriculum taught from a foundation of trust. That curriculum was exceptionally effective in positively impacting literacy and student engagement. They hold central the belief that we must prioritize historical truth-telling, experience educational humility, and center lived experiences in order to build schools, workplaces, and communities that are productive and psychologically safe for all. They are currently a DEI consultant for Humancentric LLC with certification from Cornell University and a certificate from the Diversity Movement’s Leaders Intensive. They are also writing about the ways trauma shows up for both students and teachers in our education system.

Cyndy Yu-Robinson is the Executive Director of Kramden Institute, a non-profit organization in Durham, NC founded in 2003. Kramden’s purpose is to connect Carolinians to technology and education to foster digital equity. Kramden helps businesses sanitize data, repurpose and responsibly recycle their surplus IT devices. They also offers zero or low-cost computers and digital literacy education to low incomes adults in the Triangle and across North Carolina. Cyndy leads Kramden talent and focuses on sustainable practices, financial resources and mission achievement. Her passions include environmental protection, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA), and community service. Cyndy worked in public affairs roles at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Lenovo, and AECOM. Prior to Kramden, she was the Executive Director of National Association of Asian American Professionals, a national leadership development organization. Cyndy has a Human Biology degree from Stanford University and a Master’s in International Relations from UC San Diego.

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.

The post Triangle Leaders Join WakeEd Partnership Board of Directors; Emma Browning of Paradox Consulting Partners Elected Board Chair appeared first on WakeEd.

WakeEd Partnership Awards Scholarships to Local Student Athletes

WakeEd — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 14:15:00 +0000

Scholarships Totaling $12,500 Given to Students from Apex High School and Green Hope High School

RALEIGH, N.C. — WakeEd Partnership (WakeEd), a business-backed nonprofit organization committed to supporting teachers and students in the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS), presented $175,000 in college scholarships to 14 students from Apex High School and Green Hope High School. The following students have been named Coach Bob Pittard Scholars and will each receive a $12,500 college scholarship for the 2023-2024 academic school year:

Alexa Bernard, Green Hope High School
Siri Chenna, Green Hope High School
Nathan Herrick, Green Hope High School
Reeva Kandel, Green Hope High School
Kiernan Kovac, Apex High School
Julia McGowan, Apex High School
Lexi McLaughlin, Apex High School

Sydney Morgan, Green Hope High School
Sarah Puertollano, Apex High School
Eli Smith, Apex High School
Ethan Sturdivant, Green Hope High School
Polyna Uzun, Green Hope High School
Cole Yunker, Apex High School
Owen Zalc, Green Hope High School

The Coach Bob Pittard Scholarship fund was established in 2018, after former Apex High School teacher and coach Robert Ray Pittard left $2.7 million to WakeEd Partnership to establish a sustainable scholarship fund for student athletes at Apex High School and Green Hope High School. In four years, seventy-one students have been named Coach Bob Pittard Scholars, their awards totaling more than $887,500.

Through a rigorous application and interview process, WakeEd has selected eight exceptional student athletes from the Class of 2023, as well as six Pittard Scholars from the Class of 2022, 2021, and 2020, who reapplied for the scholarship.

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.

The post WakeEd Partnership Awards Scholarships to Local Student Athletes appeared first on WakeEd.