Wake County Business Education Network: Get Involved

Get Involved

Now is the chance for your business to Get Involved with other groups that support the Wake County Public School System! The following organizations utilize business volunteers to support education. They need your help to continue the work they are doing to improve education and student academic achievement in Wake County.

Alice Aycock Poe Center for Health Education
224 Sunnybrook Road
Raleigh, North Carolina 27610
(919) 231-4006 phone
(919) 231-4315 fax
Pamela L. Kohl, Executive Director
Email: info@poehealth.org
Website: www.poehealth.org

Located in Raleigh, the Alice Aycock Poe Center for Health Education is one of only 12 freestanding, not-for-profit health education centers in the country. The mission of the Poe Center is to improve the health and well being of the people of North Carolina through education. Since opening its doors in 1991, the Poe Center has reached 370,000 participants with vital, preventive health education. The Poe Center features five specially designed learning theatres for educating all ages of North Carolinians on a variety of health topics, including nutrition and fitness, general health and well-being, dental health, family life, and drug education. Its planned, sequential programs are designed to complement and reinforce the health education programming in North Carolina's public schools. In addition, the Poe Center also serves as an excellent resource for teachers, providing health education training, materials, and support to North Carolina teachers. To learn more about the Poe Center, please call us or visit our web site.

Apex Educational Foundation
Post Office Box 1238
Apex, North Carolina 27502-3238
(919) 362-6456 phone
(919) 362-9050 fax
Curt Kennedy, Chairman
Email: curtkennedy@netscape.net
Website: www.apexed.org

The Apex Educational Foundation works in conjunction with the Apex Chamber of Commerce to coordinate business and educational efforts to promote, encourage, and assist educational activities that boost scholarship in the Apex School Node by providing leadership, communications, professional assistance and financial support.

Business Education Leadership Council
Wake County Public School System
3600 Wake Forest Road
Raleigh, North Carolina 27609
(919) 850-1873 phone
(919) 713-0698 fax
Deborah Mangum, Coordinator
Email: dkmangum@wcpss.net
Website: www.wcpss.net/school_to_career

The Business Education Leadership Council (BELC) is a network of businesses working in collaboration with the leadership of the Wake County Public School System to provide support and workplace realities for teachers and students. BELC is a catalyst for engaging business and community organizations to prepare all students to be career focused and globally competitive.
BELC is a nonprofit organization consisting of 125 key businesses from across the Triangle with a commitment to collaborating with public education in an effort to support the WCPSS mission and to promote workplace skills. BELC organizes and supports Alliances of business people at Wake County Schools. These businesses network with hundreds of large and small businesses to meet the identified needs of the school. Organizationally, BELC operates as a sub-committee of the School-to-Career Council of Wake County. Chaired by Tom Oxholm, VP of Wake Stone Corporation, BELC continues to grow in membership and impact.

Businesses or corporations interested in becoming BELC Alliance members can click here to print a BELC Recruitment Form.

Cary Chamber of Commerce
Education Committee
307 North Academy Street
Cary, North Carolina 27519
(919) 467-1016 phone
(919) 469-2375 fax
Jennifer Zawadzki, contact
Email: jzawadzki@carychamber.com
Website: www.carychamber.com

The Cary Chamber of Commerce's Education Committee facilitates business community involvement for the positive development of our students and our schools. Members of the Cary Chamber of Commerce volunteer to support Business Alliances at Cary High School, Green Hope High School, East Cary Middle School and West Cary Middle School. Volunteers also act as mentors for Communities in Schools, support Youth Leadership Cary, and act as sponsors for Junior Achievement.

Communities in Schools of Wake County
7404-M Chapel Hill Road
Raleigh, North Carolina 27607
(919) 851-7011 phone
(919) 851-6117 fax
Raelee Peirce, Volunteer Coordinator
Email: CISWCVolCo@aol.com

Communities in Schools of Wake County helps at-risk youth and their families access existing educational, health, and human services to promote success in school and productive citizenship. Volunteers serve as tutors/mentors working one-on-one with a student at a Communities in Schools of Wake County (CISWC) site, as members of the CISWC Board of Directors or three Board committees (Programs, Public Relations, and Resource Development), and as Great Leaps Reading Coaches. The Great Leaps Reading Program is implemented at many CISWC sites to provide remedial literacy tutoring to students not performing at grade level. Volunteers are required to attend a two-hour orientation and training session and undergo a background check. CISWC's efforts are closely aligned with those of the Wake County Public School System.

Community Learning Centers, Inc.
Post Office Box 10748
Raleigh, North Carolina 27605
(919) 836-8070 phone
(919) 836-9969 fax
Mary Hughes, Contact
Email: CLC@ipass.net
Website: www.communitylearning.com

Community Learning Centers, Inc. provides educational support and enrichment opportunities for residents of public housing. Business partners supply funding, in-kind donations, manpower, and business expertise in the establishment and operation of learning centers in public housing communities. In addition to providing education and enrichment opportunities on site in public housing communities, Community Learning Centers also provides college scholarships.

East Wake Education Foundation
Post Office Box 120
Knightdale, North Carolina 27545
(919) 366-5901 phone
(919) 366-5905 fax
Paula Spence, President
Email: pspence@knightdale.ncmail.net
Website: www.state.nc.us/Knightdale/EWEF.htm

The East Wake Education Foundation's mission is to promote academic achievement and enhance the quality of educational efforts in Eastern Wake County. The East Wake Education Foundation has created the Learn to Earn program in eastern Wake County which now is operated by the East Wake Business Alliance.

Fuquay-Varina Education Council
Fuquay-Varina Area Chamber of Commerce
121 N. Main Street, P O Box 156
Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526
(919) 552-4947 phone
(919) 552-1029 fax
Wanda Denning, Chair: (919) 552-9844, wwden@aol.com
Email: f-vcoc@mindspring.com
Website: http://www.fuquay-varina.com

This group serves as a consensus-builder for issues that will strengthen public education and helps provide a focus for business/community partnerships dealing with educational issues, actions and relationships. The Council's desire is to act by focusing on establishing lines of communication and building relationships with school board members and top public school administrators so Chamber policies and viewpoints can be presented. The Council currently has membership representing school administrators, active and retired educators, business leaders, and parents of school age children.

Garner Chamber of Commerce
401 Circle Drive
Garner, North Carolina 27529
(919) 772-6440 phone
(919) 772-6443 fax
Dale Bouldin, President
Email: garnerc@worldnet.att.net
Website: www.garnerchamber.com

The Garner Chamber of Commerce's Education Committee works to improve the educational level of all citizens in the community. We utilize volunteers specifically for job shadowing and mentoring purposes. We also sponsor an SAT preparatory class every year at Garner High School.

Garner Educational Foundation
401 Circle Drive
Garner, North Carolina 27529
(919) 772-6440 phone
(919) 773-0157 fax
Dr. James Ferry, contact
Email: fpcog@pobox.com

The Garner Educational Foundation is committed to improving educational standards through the promotion of quality education in the Garner area schools. It is recognized that educational improvement efforts promoted by the Garner Educational Foundation must enhance communication and involvement among students, parents, school staff, business leaders, and community citizens in order to accomplish a higher standard of living for the Garner area.

Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce
Education Committee
800 South Salisbury Street
Post Office Box 2978
Raleigh, North Carolina 27602
(919) 664-7061 phone
(919) 664-7067 fax
Jeff Merritt, contact
Email: jmerritt@the-chamber.org
Website: www.raleighchamber.org

The Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce's Education Committee promotes issues and partnerships in education and serves as a catalyst and consensus builder for issues which will create improvements in education.

Holly Springs Chamber of Commerce
Education Committee
Post Office Box 695
Holly Springs, North Carolina 27540
(919) 567-1796 phone
(919) 567-1380 fax
Christine Dickson, contact
Email: nync95@aol.com

The mission of the Holly Springs Chamber of Commerce's Education Committee is to involve members of the business community in fostering quality education. Through the Chamber, area businesses devote time and funds to education projects such as the teacher's "Pet Project" program.

Junior Achievement of Eastern North Carolina
313 South Blount Street
Suite 200-A
Raleigh, North Carolina 27601
(919) 821-2100 phone
(919) 821-1700 fax
Bob Brauer, President
Email: bob@juniorachievement.net
Website: www.silhounet.com/jaenc

Junior Achievement works to ensure that all children have a fundamental understanding of the free enterprise system. Business volunteers enter a classroom for one period per week for six to eight weeks and conduct activity based lessons that teach students business concepts. For information regarding Groundhog Job Shadow Day 2000, please contact Bob Brauer or visit www.jobshadow.org.

Kids Voting of North Carolina, Wake County
Post Office Box 10833
Raleigh, North Carolina 27605
(919) 833-1282 phone
(919) 833-4492 fax
Sarah Lowder, Executive Director
Email: kvwake@interpath.com
Website: www.kidsvoting.interpath.net

Kids Voting is a private, nonpartisan, nonprofit grassroots organization that educates K-12 students in public, private, home and charter schools about the importance of being an informed voter. Students participate in a hands-on classroom curriculum and on Election Day go to the polls with a parent or other adult. Their votes are counted, tabulated, and reported via the news media. Kids Voting Wake County is dedicated to building better voters, one student at a time. Volunteers work at official polling sites on Election Day to assist students in casting their ballots. Businesses can "adopt" a precinct.

Knightdale Chamber of Commerce
Education Committee
Post Office Box 601
Knightdale, North Carolina 27545
(919) 266-4603 phone
(919) 266-8010 fax
Jennifer Bryan, Executive Director
Email: knightdalechamber@clink.net
Website: www.knightdalechamber.com

The Knightdale Chamber of Commerce's Education Committee promotes quality education and ensures quality future employees and productive citizens. Volunteers with a willingness to serve are used in conjunction with community forums, business alliance activities and workforce preparedness.

Loaves and Fishes
Post Office Box 14596
Raleigh, North Carolina 27620
(919) 231-4687 phone
(919) 231-4127 fax
Betty Anne Ford, Director

Loaves and Fishes provides long-term, holistic, educational experience for children from targeted communities in order to nurture their total development so that they can achieve their potential as unique individuals and function successfully in society. Volunteers serve as tutors, academic assistants and mentors in after-school, evening, and summer programs, and for children in grades K-12. Any caring, coping adult can be a Loaves and Fishes volunteer in jobs that require various levels of commitment. Loaves and Fishes is anxious to form partnerships with businesses interested in placing volunteers, maintaining/upgrading our computer lab, providing/securing in-kind good and services, and co-sponsoring fundraising events.

Morrisville Chamber of Commerce
Post Office Box 548
Morrisville, North Carolina 27560
(919) 380-9026 phone/fax
Raymond Lech, President
Email: chamber@morrisvillenc.com
Website: www.morrisville.com

The Morrisville Chamber of Commerce supports education and addresses education issues on an ad hoc basis.

Motheread, Inc.
3924 Browning Place
Suite 7
Raleigh, North Carolina 27609
(919) 781-2088 phone
(919) 571-8597 fax
Carolyn Dickens, contact
Email: motheread@earthlink.net

Motheread's mission is to assist parents and children in becoming more powerful readers, writers, and users of language by helping parents become reading role models and providing read aloud experiences for children. We use volunteers to conduct storysharing sessions for children in child care, community, and school settings. Volunteers are required to attend one 2-hour training session.

North Carolina Business Committee for Education
Office of the Governor
116 West Jones Street
Raleigh, North Carolina 27603-8001
(919) 715-3535 phone
(919) 715-3561 fax
Thomas Williams, Executive Director
Email: twilliam@gov.state.nc.us
Website: www.ncbce.org

North Carolina Business Committee for Education (NCBCE) serves as a catalyst for systematic changes in grades K-12 through local and state business-education partnerships. Employees of businesses that are members of NCBCE are recruited to serve on five active committees and multiple local and state working groups. Please visit our web site for information on membership and programs.

ParentScope
Wake County Public School System
110 Coming Road
Suite 110
Cary, North Carolina 27511
(919) 854-1672 phone
(919) 854-1730 fax
Phylis Sharpe, Executive Director
Email: psharpe@wcpss.net
Website: www.wcpss.net

ParentScope provides family support to parents of school-aged children and promotes parental involvement in education. Bilingual volunteers are used in community outreach and other volunteers are used as parent educators and in conjunction with the Parents' Lending Library. Volunteers are required to attend a "Building Parent Capital" workshop. ParentScope also provides staff development workshops on "Building Parent Partnerships" and "Becoming a Family Friendly School".

SAFEchild
2815 Kidd Road
Post Office Box 46090
Raleigh, North Carolina 27620
(919) 231-5800 phone
(919) 231-5803 fax
Linda Raynor, contact
Email: safechild2@aol.com
Website: www.members.ad.com/Safechild1

SAFEchild (Stop Child Abuse For Every child) is committed to stopping abuse in Wake County by helping adults and children create nurturing environments free from abuse and neglect. SAFEchild's programs depend on volunteers. English and Spanish speaking residents of Wake County can protect children from the trauma of child abuse by volunteering for one of these opportunities: mentor new moms, storyshare with children, lead children's groups, facilitate parent education groups, present an interactive child abuse prevention program to fist grade students in Wake County schools, and present information to community groups about child abuse prevention. Volunteers receive complete training for a six month - one-year commitment.

School-to-Career Council of Wake County
Wake County Public School System
3600 Wake Forest Road
Raleigh, North Carolina 27609
(919) 850-1880 phone
(919) 713-0698 fax
Cathy Williams, Coordinator
Email: ccwilliams@wcpss.net
Website: www.wcpss.net/school_to_career

The School-to-Career of Wake County initiative gives Wake County students the opportunity to explore and discover the many career options available to them. The initiative strengthens academics and plays a key role in developing character. School-to-Career of Wake County is a community effort supported by civic organizations, businesses, and institutions of higher learning.

Strengthening the Black Family, Inc.
568 East Lenior Street
Suite 211
Raleigh, North Carolina 27601
(919) 856-5271 phone
(919) 856-6575 fax
Annette Watson, contact
Email: awatson@co.wake.nc.us
Website: www.stbf.net

Strengthening the Black Family was founded in 1980 with the mission to improve the quality of life for families in Wake County and beyond with special emphasis on black families. The organization seeks to ensure the survival and strengthening of black families while still underscoring those traditional values, which serve to strengthen all families. To achieve this mission, Strengthening the Black Family focuses on the development of programs, partnerships, and interdisciplinary networks and the identification and securing of resources which will lead to greater economic, health, employment, and educational opportunities for all families. We use volunteers as mentors and tutors for the children in our After School Program and Summer Camp. Volunteers must have a willingness and ability to work with 1st - 5th grade students from disabled homes and must be able to spend one hour per week with a child.

Wake County PTA Council
3600 Wake Forest Road
Raleigh, North Carolina 27609
(919) 850-1635 phone
(919) 850-1728 fax
Ann Rollins, President
Email: ptacouncil@wcpss.net
Website: www.ncpta.org

The primary purpose of the Wake County PTA Council is to promote the welfare of children and youth. Its role is to inform, advise, guide, instruct, and encourage the leaders of local PTA units, and to be responsive to their needs for conference, leadership training, and coordination of efforts of the member PTA's. The PTA Council sponsors the Reflections Contest, Project Graduation, Spring Exhibition, PTA Council awards, and provides character education and leadership training to local PTA units.

Wake County Smartstart
3300 Woman's Club Drive
Raleigh, North Carolina 27612
(919) 789-9990 phone
(919) 789-9991 fax
Betsy Thigpen, Executive Director
Email: betsyt@ipass.net
Website: www.smartstart-nc.org

Wake County Smartstart is a partner with many community agencies that promote excellence in education - particularly the education of young children. Smartstart's mission is to ensure that all children ages 0-5 enter school healthy and prepared for success. Business volunteers can serve on a variety of work groups organized around early childhood issues. Smartstart invites community members to serve on our Board of Directors and to participate in our community projects.

Wake Education Partnership
706 Hillsborough Street
Suite A
Raleigh, North Carolina 27603
(919) 821-7609 phone
(919) 821-7637 fax
Eric Houck, contact
Email: ehouck@wakeedpartnership.org
Website: www.wakeedpartnership.org

As a community-based public school advocacy organization for twelve years, the Wake Education Partnership links human and material resources to strengthen our public schools. In addition to fostering action-oriented community involvement in the Wake County Public School System, the Partnership seeks to leverage the investment of private contributions to ensure the greatest possible impact in every school. Specifically, the Wake Education Partnership targets efforts to strengthen the achievement of our children by actively participating as an advocate, coordinator and facilitator of community involvement in the public schools. From many voices and interests, the Partnership seeks to bring forth a shared vision for the future of our schools and concrete steps to get there. To this end, the recommendations of parents, school and civic leaders and business people have been gathered to develop our priorities. Contact the Partnership for information about using you talents in the Partnership's efforts.

Wake Forest Chamber of Commerce
350 South White Street
Wake Forest, North Carolina 27587
(919) 556-1519 phone
(919) 556-857 fax
Mark Fleming, Executive Director
Email: wfchamber@sprintmail.com

The Wake Forest Chamber of Commerce works with area schools to promote community awareness of education issues. We have two major programs designed to benefit our schools. We sponsor a Spelling Bee every fall to raise funds for teacher grants for area schools. We also sponsor an internship program that links high school seniors with local businesses. Volunteers from our membership are needed for these two projects.

Wake Summerbridge
7409 Falls of Neuse Road
Raleigh, North Carolina 27615
(919) 847-0900, ext. 2281 phone
(919) 848-6468 fax
Okezi Otovo, Director
Email: ootovo@ravenscroft.org
Website: www.ravenscroft.org

Wake Summerbridge is 3-year tuition-free program for students from Wake County middle schools. The program includes six-week summer sessions, a year-round Saturday and mentoring program, community service, and high school advising. Wake Summerbridge serves students with high academic potential, many of whom have limited access to supplemental academic programs. Its mission is to empower middle school students with the academic skills and self-confidence they need to enter and succeed in college preparatory high school programs. Volunteers with a belief in the program's mission serve as community advocates, help with fundraising and public relations, and serve as adult mentors for high school students. Wake Summerbridge is located on the campus of Ravenscroft School and is a collaborative effort with the Wake County Public School System. Learn more about the Summerbridge program by visiting the Summerbridge National web site at www.summerbridge.org.

Wendell Chamber of Commerce
Education Committee
Post Office Box 562
Wendell, North Carolina 27591
(919) 365-6318 phone
(919) 366-2010 fax
Teressa Allmon, contact
Email: wendellchamber@clink.net
Website: www.wendellchamber.com

The mission of the Wendell Chamber of Commerce's Education Committee is to promote quality education and to ensure quality future employees and productive citizens. The Education Committee utilizes volunteers for community forums, BELC activities, and workforce preparedness.

Zebulon Chamber of Commerce
Education Committee
208 North Church Street
Zebulon, North Carolina 27597
(919) 269-6320 phone/fax
Eva Liles, contact
Website: www.zebulonchamber.citysearch.com

The mission of the Zebulon Chamber of Commerce's Education Committee is to serve education on all levels.