Latest news with #LeeCountyEducationFoundation
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Gonzalez-Ortega, Miller named ‘Sloan Scholars'
One scholar whose early education took place in Mexico wants her future students to be inspired and feel cared about. The other scholar, a lifelong Lee County resident, wants to be a 'bright light' for her students — just as her late grandmother was. Susann Gonzalez-Ortega and Isabella Miller, soon-to-graduates of Lee County High School, were honored Wednesday by the Lee County Education Foundation as 2024-25 Sloan Scholar winners. They received scholarships of up to $36,000 to pursue teaching degrees, with a promise to come back to Lee County as teachers. Gonzalez-Ortega and Miller were recognized by the Education Foundation at a reception ceremony at GiGi's Creations in downtown Sanford. The Temple Sloan Lee County Teacher Fellows program was launched by the Education Foundation in 2023, with the first Sloan Scholar — Anna Marks — named in 2024. It was created to encourage Lee County's best and brightest students to commit to becoming an educator, and then return home and begin a career in a classroom. It's funded by the Raleigh-based Sloan Foundation, in partnership with Lee County Schools, the Central Carolina Community College Foundation and the Education Foundation. The Sloan Foundation was created by Temple Sloan Jr., a former Sanford resident, who founded Carquest Auto Parts in 1961. Carquest, which grew to 3,000 auto parts stores, was acquired by Advance Auto Parts in 2014. 'These scholarships will be given to deserving young students to inspire them to earn a teaching degree and encourage them to work in the Lee County school system,' said Sloan, who's a member of the Lee County Education Foundation board of directors. 'We firmly believe that a successful educational experience for our young people begins with outstanding teachers.' The Sloan scholarships will take the form of forgivable loans — similar to the process used in the statewide N.C. Teaching Fellows program. Scholarship recipients are expected to return to Lee County to teach; and all monies are forgiven after four years of teaching in a Lee County public school classroom. In pursuing a teaching degree, Sloan Scholars may attend any state-supported college or university in pursuit of their teaching certificate. In addition to $4,500 per semester in scholarship funds, the program will also include partnerships with teaching mentors, summer programming and a variety of activities designed to engage Sloan Scholars with LCS and support their commitment to Lee County's students and community. The $4,500 per semester will be awarded to help pay for tuition, fees, and books. Students are expected to provide progress reporting and other information to the CCCC Foundation, which will be managing the scholarship monies. Should a student drop out of the program or decide not to return and teach in Lee County, monies will have to be repaid. GONZALEZ-ORTEGAGonzalez-Ortega, the daughter of Esther Ortega, attends Lee County High School. She's been inducted into the National Honor Society and the National Technical Honor Society, serves as president of the National Juntos Club, and is a member of numerous other clubs. She'll seek a degree in marine biology with a license in education at UNC-Wilmington, which will position her to teach biology at the high school level. She cited two of her teachers — Mrs. Price and Mrs. Biles — for their support, and said she wanted to become the kind of teacher 'who makes students feel both challenged and supported, someone who pushes them to think deeply, ask questions, and take pride in their growth. MILLERMiller, the daughter of Kelly and Billy Miller, also attends Lee County High School, where she's an officer in BETA and the Red Cross, and active in several other clubs. She's also been a part of the Temple Teen Ensemble at Temple Theatre. She plans to major in education and stage and screen at Western Carolina University. Miller's desire to teach comes in part from the inspiration provided by a late grandmother, who'd served as a special education teacher. She still hears stories about her, Miller said. 'My grandma's impact on her students brought me the passion to become a teacher, as I want to be just as bright a light as she was in so many children's lives,' she said. 'Over time, this foundation has never changed, but I have found myself going out of my way to give voice and dance lessons to kids, help them understand issues when things seem off, and try to guide them into a better direction overall. I have a special passion for working with youth, and I believe that my dedication to and appreciation of education is what will make me an excellent teacher.' MARKSMarks, last year's inaugural winner, was also recognized at Wednesday's ceremony. A graduate of Southern Lee High School, she's studying now at UNC-Greensboro and seeking a bachelor's degree in art education. Marks is the daughter of Melinda Marks.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
SanLee wins inaugural middle school 'Head of Class' award
In becoming the inaugural winner of the Ernest and Ruby McSwain Middle School Head of Class prize, principal Natalie Kelly says she and her team at SanLee followed a time-tested formula, one that prior winners utilized at the elementary-school level. 'It was the result of many intentional and strategic actions,' said Kelly, who led the year-over-year academic growth at SanLee Middle School during the 2023-24 school year. 'It was no happenstance.' Kelly — who was promoted to Lee County Schools' central office staff as assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction last June 1 — and SanLee's faculty and staff, along with new SanLee principal Christian Chaney, were honored with a reception at the school on Tuesday afternoon by the Lee County Education Foundation. In addition to the recognition and a plaque, the school was given a symbolic check for $50,000 by the Foundation and the McSwain WorthyLands Trust. All faculty and staff who were a part of the school's work last school year share in an incentive that's based on school size; the actual amount to be distributed is more than $59,500. Kelly, an 18-year teaching veteran who previously served as principal at J. Glenn Edwards Elementary — which was awarded the Education Foundation's 2023-24 elementary-level Head of Class prize on Jan. 29 — said SanLee's accomplishment was the result of the use of data-informed instruction and individual student data tracking. 'Teachers and students were focused on growth, and a growth-over-proficiency mindset was embedded into the culture,' she said. 'All students were setting goals on their benchmark state exams, and for each exam, the students would analyze their performance and set a new goal to grow in their next exam. This gave students buy-in and ownership of their own performance, and then it boosted their confidence each time they met their growth goal.' Teachers at SanLee were also analyzing student data and student performance and setting growth goals for their classes, she added, emphasizing small group instruction and targeted interventions. 'Teachers, administrators and the academic coach continuously monitored student performance, grouping students based on their specific needs,' Kelly said. 'It was truly a collective commitment to high expectations and excellence — from our teachers, staff, students and families.' The Lee County Education Foundation created the 'Head of Class' award in 2010 to recognize the most-improved elementary school in Lee County, using a variety of academic measurements to track year-over-year improvement. Earlier this year, in partnership with the McSwain Worthy Lands Trust, LCEF earmarked up to $50,000 to begin annually giving 'Head of Class' honors to one of Lee County's three middle schools as well — West Lee, East Lee or SanLee. 'The Foundation is delighted to implement Head of Class in the middle schools of Lee County,' said Dennis Wicker, who led the formation of the Foundation in 2003. 'We are convinced that healthy competition among these schools will definitely have an impact on enhancing the performance of our students in the middle grades.' LCS Superintendent Chris Dossenbach said the Foundation's investment in Lee County School has made a lasting impact and continues to contribute to LCS's mission of educating students and building a brighter future for our community. 'This achievement shines a light on what so many of us already know — SanLee is a special place, filled with special people who put students first, make learning engaging, and achieve positive results,' he said. 'Being the first middle school to receive the Head of Class Award from the Lee County Education Foundation is a tremendous honor,' said Chaney, a 12-year educator who was formerly assistant principal at Greenwood Elementary. Having won the award at both the elementary and middle school levels has been an honor, Chaney added. 'I can say it's one of the most meaningful recognitions a school can receive. It's more than a trophy — it's a catalyst,' Chaney said. 'It inspires staff, boosts morale, and reminds our community of what's possible when we work together. The partnership between the Lee County Education Foundation and LCS, especially through the generosity of the McSwain Foundation, has created a ripple effect that will be felt for years to come. I'm deeply grateful for their belief in our schools.'
