Greater Raleigh Chamber Blog

By Atinuke Diver, LR32
Director of Compliance
The PowerAmerica Institute at NC State University




“Is that a school or a mall?” I asked as our bus pulled into a construction site—the 58 acres and 327,640 square feet of LEED-designed space slated to open as the new South Garner High School. Over the next hour spent touring the site, I understood that this was no mall. And after spending a day listening and learning about the business, politics, and economic impact of education in greater Raleigh, my Leadership Raleigh 32 classmates and I also learned that when it comes to education in Raleigh, it’s personal, complicated, and ever-changing.
 
It’s Personal
From our morning panel discussion with representatives from the Wake County Board of Education and the Wake County Board of Commissioners to the educational options roundtable discussions about charter, private/independent, magnet, and home schools at the end of the day, my classmates and I drew upon our lived experiences. We reflected on our own educational backgrounds, our experiences as parents and caretakers striving to make the best educational choices for the children in our care, as the spouses and partners of teachers or administrators navigating the growing demands of a school system in a rapidly growing area, and as advocates with preferences for certain educational options over others.
 
It’s Complicated
In his 2004 book and 2005 TEDTalk, “The Paradox of Choice,” psychologist Barry Schwartz, posits that having more choices and options actually makes us more paralyzed instead of freer. I’ve often thought of this paradox while listening to Raleigh parents discussing the myriad of public educational options accessible to their children each school year through the Wake County school assignment process. While enjoying the aptly themed St. Patrick’s Day reception hosted by Smith Moore Leatherwoood at the end of our day, I asked one classmate, “Well, what’s the alternative?” We concluded that having more choices is better than having no choice. I think Mr. Schwartz might agree.
 
It’s Ever-changing
From the exterior, Vernon Malone College and Career Academy and the NC State Entrepreneurship Initiative Garage couldn’t look more different. But they both share distinct roles in the changing environment for 21st century secondary and post-secondary education and highlighted the important role the Raleigh business community has in connecting our students to professional opportunities. Our tour of Vernon Malone gave us an inside look at the potential for Career and Technical Education to lead high-school students towards a pathway of prosperity, whether that be post-secondary education or employment. Our panel discussion with undergraduate and graduate EI students was both inspiring and eye-opening as they shared their experiences in leveraging the program to create businesses and the need for greater interaction between students and the business community to keep and grow their businesses in Raleigh instead of Silicon Valley, New York City, or Boston.
 
Lesson of the Day
As community leaders, one the greatest opportunities we have is to bridge the gaps of access and opportunity between our companies, organizations, and industries and students throughout greater Raleigh.

Leadership Raleigh prepares the leaders of tomorrow. During the nine-month program, participants get an in-depth view of community issues, develop leadership skills necessary to assume leadership roles, and are exposed to community involvement opportunities.

Applications for the 2016/17 program year are currently being accepted. Learn more at www.leadershipraleigh.org.

By Maria Hernandez, LR 31
Director of Corporate Relations
SPCA of Wake County



On Tuesday, Feb. 9, my Leadership Raleigh 31 classmates and I had the opportunity for an in-depth look at education in Raleigh.

Wake County is one of the fastest growing metro-areas in the country, and this growth comes with both benefits and challenges. One of those challenges is addressing the stress on the Wake County Public School System.

Throughout the day, we met with people who have a vested interest in our education system and want to ensure that it remains as strong as ever. In order for that to happen, we have to be aware of our shortfalls and struggles:

• Capacity to seat all the new students coming in
• Children from disadvantaged homes don’t have same or similar access to technology than their counterparts from more well-off homes
• Frustration from families whose children are reassigned to different schools
• Not enough teachers to fill all the classrooms
• Significant decline in enrollment of teaching programs at university
• Lack of personnel and resources to accomplish all that needs to be done

Our class visited two great elementary schools that are engaging their students in innovative and exciting learning opportunities, Fuller GT/AIG Basics Magnet Elementary and Brooks Museums Magnet Elementary. While they each have unique approaches to implementing their curriculum, both schools seek to prepare students for the real world, encouraging them to learn from each other and through experience.

The Digital Divide and Impact of Technology
We ended our travels at Vernon Malone College & Career Academy, where we participated in a panel discussion with three high school teachers and later, and presidents from three local colleges and universities.

The first panel was asked what a typical day teaching high school was like. After a good laugh, they all said there is no such thing as a typical day! The key is to understand that you’re not teaching them in a vacuum, but that you are dealing with everything that they’re dealing with.

When asked about some of the concerns raised earlier in the day, they agreed that these issues are important to address and solve. However, the concern they all have is the digital divide impacting so many of their students. Students who don’t have regular access to technology and its tools will continue to fall behind their peers who do.

Technology has had and will continue to have an impact on teaching. The irony of the teacher shortage is that we are living in a golden age of teaching. There is a world of knowledge at our fingertips, and so many ways to reach out to and engage students in learning. Technology is no longer the icing on the cake, it IS the cake.

The Future is Bright for Wake County
We later participated in a panel with Dr. Tashni Dubroy, president of Shaw University; Dr. Jo Allen, president of Meredith College; and Dr. Brian Ralph, president of William Peace University. They all expressed the sentiment that the purpose of higher education is to be a place of a discovery, and a place to fail without fear. There should be a support system that enables social, intellectual, spiritual, economic, and civic growth.

At all levels of education--primary, secondary, and higher education--there is a renewed focus on mastery over proficiency. Engaging in project-based learning allows students to move beyond textbooks and to learn from each other and through practical experience, and the teacher is both coach and facilitator.

Throughout the day, we heard mention of the “4 Cs”: Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, and Creativity. In learning the core subjects, students must also be taught these new and necessary tools as they advance in their academic careers and into their professional careers.

As a member of the general public, it’s easy to think from media reports and other voices that our public school system is in trouble and we should fear for our children's futures. But listening to and talking with all the people we met today, it’s clear that there a great many people, inside the classroom and beyond, that care a great deal about the future of education in Wake County and are doing all that they can to ensure that future is a bright one for our students of today and for the students of tomorrow.

How can you help?
There are many ways you can make a difference:

• Contact your local school--the school your children attend or the school near where you live or work – and ask what they need.
• Volunteer to read in a classroom
• Volunteer to be a field trip chaperone
• Hold a donation drive for office supplies
• Ask about a giving tree at holiday times

Local businesses and corporations can also get involved in meaningful ways:

• Reach out to a local school to talk about on-going partnerships
• Offer to host and produce professional development for educators
• Help fund significant projects, e.g. technology, field trips, etc.

Learn more about Leadership Raleigh
Leadership Raleigh prepares the leaders of tomorrow. During the nine-month program, participants get an in-depth view of community issues, develop leadership skills necessary to assume leadership roles, and are exposed to community involvement opportunities.

Applications for the 2016/17 program year will be available in late February. Learn more at www.leadershipraleigh.org.

By John Johnston
Community Development Manager
Greater Raleigh Chamber

The beginning of February marks the start of yet another great event—the WAKE Up and Read Book Drive! Throughout the month of February, WAKE Up and Read will strive to collect 110,000 books for delivery to 10 elementary schools, 20 childcare centers, and 10 community centers throughout Wake County. New and gently-used books for children ages birth through 12 years old can be dropped off at one of the many book drive locations throughout the county—including right here at the Chamber!

Donations will provide Wake County children with 10 books to take home with them permanently to begin building their own book library. One of the most challenging issues facing under-served youth in Wake County is limited or no access to books at home and throughout the summer months when school is not in session—motivation from which this book drive was created. This is a great opportunity to support Wake County children in need, and the Chamber is proud to partner with WAKE Up and Read once again.

In 2015, the book drive raised 115,000 books, solicited more than 500 volunteers, and successfully delivered books to over 7,100 children throughout the county. Last June, the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading coalition honored WAKE Up and Read as a 2014 Community Solutions Pacesetter for efforts to improve childhood literacy in Wake County.

Visit the WAKE Up & Read website for more information.