Stars of Education Gala Dinner 2016 Was a Huge Success!

The third annual Stars of Education Gala Dinner, presented by PNC Bank, was a tremendous success! The Wake County community came together on Wednesday, Oct. 12 to fete some of the brightest lights in the local education community.

WakeEd Partnership hosted the event at the Raleigh Marriott City Center again this year with over 450 people in attendance to honor retired WCPSS Superintendent Bill McNeal for receiving the Dr. Robert E. Bridges Lifetime Achievement Award, and Judge Howard Manning, Jr. for receiving the Vernon Malone Friend of Education Award.

Six people were also inducted into the WCPSS Hall of Fame at the event. WCPSS Administrator Richard Murphy was inducted posthumously in the Education category. Longtime WCPSS art teacher and renowned artist Bob Rankin was inducted in the Arts category. Sanderson High School Boys Soccer Coach and high school Athletic Director Bob Catapano was inducted in the Athletics category. Recently retired News & Observer President and Publisher Orage Quarles, III was inducted in the Business category. WCPSS volunteer Wanda Denning was inducted in the Community Service category. Quail Ridge Books founder Nancy Olson was inducted posthumously in the Entrepreneurship category.

Watch all of the Hall of Fame, Friend of Education, and Lifetime Achievement award recipient videos here.

The event also honored the recipients of the 2016 Teacher Innovation Grant Awards for their efforts to improve education in the Arts, Exceptional Children with Autism, Literacy, and STEM categories.

If you missed out on the event, please look for videos on WakeEd\’s YouTube channel, and set your calendar for Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2017 to be sure to attend next year.