Wake Education Partnership to Host Stars of Education Event, Induct Second Hall of Fame Honorees

Raleigh, NC, October 04, 2014 --(PR.com)-- Wake Education Partnership (WEP) will host its inaugural 2014 Stars of Education celebration on Wednesday, Oct. 22 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Raleigh Marriott City Center located at 500 Fayetteville St. Stars of Education will honor and celebrate outstanding educators and business and community leaders who have positively impacted the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS).

Last year, the Partnership launched the first class of its Hall of Fame as part of the organization’s 30th anniversary, which was created to honor former WCPSS students and employees who made major contributions to the system. To ensure a wide range of suggestions, the Partnership invited the general public to submit nominations in the categories of education, business, the arts, athletics, community service and entrepreneurship. The leaders being inducted into the 2014 Hall of Fame include:

- Education – Dr. Dudley Flood
- Business – Sherwood Smith
- Arts – Kip Caton
- Athletics – Webb Simpson
- Community – Hannah Poteat
- Entrepreneurship – Chas Scarantino

In addition, the Partnership will honor a recipient for the 2014 Vernon Malone Friend of Education Award as part of its inaugural Stars of Education event – the highest honor of Wake Education Partnership. The honoree is Richard “Dick” Daugherty, IBM retired senior executive in North Carolina and executive director of the NC State University Research Corporation.

Last year’s Hall of Fame inductees included Bill McNeal, former Wake County Public Schools superintendent; Ann Goodnight, on behalf of SAS; Sherry Worth, lifelong community leader; Zach Clayton, president and CEO of Three Ships Media; David West, NBA player for the Indiana Pacers; and Elizabeth Grimes-Droessler, WCPSS senior administrator of the arts.

To get more information about the 2014 Stars of Education or to purchase tickets, visit http://wakeedpartnership.org/stars-of-education/.

Quotes:
“Stars of Education is the one night where the entire community can honor some of the lesser-known individuals who have helped make our public education system great in Wake County,” said Steve Parrott, president of Wake Education Partnership. “Whether in the classroom or the boardroom, each of these honorees helped WCPSS take a significant step forward. They are a shining example to show that anyone can help contribute to public education.”

“The Stars of Education celebration on October 22 is a great way for business leaders, elected officials, and the community-at-large to show how much they appreciate our public schools,” said Dr. Jim Merrill, WCPSS Superintendent. “Together with our educators, these community and business leaders have made a lasting impact in the lives of Wake County Public School System students.”

New Media Content:
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About Wake Education Partnership:
Wake Education Partnership is an independent, non-profit organization comprised 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. Through its Building Leaders initiative, the work of the Partnership is funded exclusively by investments from the business community and from individuals who want to help children excel in the classroom and succeed in life. For more information, please visit http://www.wakeedpartnership.org.