By: Allison Wrenn | Vice President Finance & Education, Cary Chamber of Commerce
WakeEd Partnership has been exactly that to the Cary Chamber of Commerce – a partner. With a common mission to connect business resources and school needs, our collaborative efforts facilitate and champion programs and outreach that positively influence our students, teachers, and schools.
Our organizations have collectively targeted business engagement in education to the extent that WakeEd has become part of our strategic plan. We have engaged our membership to connect companies with a desire to help catalyze schools with local educators through WakeEd’s World Café program. WakeEd is a commonplace at our Education Committee meetings and they help shine light on education policy directly affecting our local schools. Awareness is key and knowledge is power.
WakeEd’s Advisory Council brings together local Chambers to share best practices as well as mutual areas of interest and concern. Without this platform, there would be disconnect between the efforts of our Chambers’ visions and programs around education. Through the Advisory Council, we are better equipped to tackle our education challenges as a community.
The partnership between the Cary Chamber and WakeEd has helped us align our vision to ensure the health of our schools and, in turn, promote the health of our local economy. With values so close, it is very much the mantra: “Work smarter, not harder.”
