RALEIGH, N.C. — WakeEd Partnership, a nonprofit organization that supports teachers and students in Wake County Public Schools, announced the recipients of this year’s teacher award, the “Star Among Us” Award, given to one Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) educator, and the “Emerging Star” Award, given to one WCPSS senior high school student. Both awards include a $5,000 prize for each recipient and will be presented on October 30, 2024, at WakeEd’s 11th Annual Stars of Education Gala.
The “Emerging Star” Award is being presented to Nabiha Rahman. Nabiha is a rising senior at Green Hope High School in Cary, NC. As the founder and president of the EmpowerHer Club, she has established a thriving Women in STEM club with over 60 members, fostering a supportive community and inspiring younger girls through workshops, activities, local scientific facility tours, mentorship, and guest speaker events. Also, Nabiha is working on establishing the Lumina Girls Foundation, a nonprofit organization with initiatives at both local and international levels. The foundation oversees high school EmpowerHer clubs, girls’ empowerment courses in Bangladesh, and girls’ education initiatives in Turkey. Her leadership extends to serving as the Co-President of her school’s Psychology Honor Society, Vice President of both the Key Club and the Muslim Student Association, where she organizes events, supports fundraising initiatives, and promotes interfaith dialogue.
Students were nominated by their administrative staff, with input from teachers and other staff members across WCPSS’s high schools. There were 37 nominations in total, with 12 finalists including Ms. Rahman.
The “Star Among Us” Award is being presented by Equitable to Bugg Magnet Elementary’s Aneesa McKenzie-Thompson. She says her teaching journey has been fueled by a deep passion for shaping young minds and creating a positive, inclusive learning environment. At Bugg Magnet Elementary Center for Design & Computer Sciences, she has been committed to making learning engaging and accessible for all her students, building strong relationships with students and families. One of her most significant achievements has been establishing the Bugg Beta step team for 3rd through 5th graders. This initiative has given students unique opportunities to develop teamwork, discipline, and self-expression through stepping. She says every child deserves a superhero, and her superpower is empowering and motivating all students, with equity and equality as her guiding principles.
Teachers were nominated through an open-community nomination process. During this time, over 200 nominations from across the district were submitted. Teachers nominated self-selected to participate further in the process. In the end, 9 finalists were selected including Ms. McKenzie-Thompson.
“It is incredibly exciting to leverage a platform like our Stars of Education gala to shine a spotlight on the impactful work our students and teachers are doing in our communities,” said Keith Poston, President of WakeEd Partnership. “We are deeply honored to support these outstanding individuals and provide an opportunity for others to witness the remarkable differences they are making in their communities.”
In continuing the process of elevating the works and successes of educators, the “Emerging Star” Award and the “Star Among Us” Award will be presented each year alongside the “Friend of Education Award.” Both the “Emerging Star” and “Star Among Us” awards are honors that are designed to recognize the brilliance of one high school senior and one K-12 educator from the WCPSS district, respectively, who have a strong presence within their school communities, and their communities-at-large.
For more information about WakeEd’s Stars of Education Gala, including tickets, tables, and sponsorships available, visit: https://www.wakeed.org/stars-of-education-gala/
About WakeEd Partnership
WakeEd Partnership (WakeEd) is a leading independent nonprofit backed by business and community leaders to support the teachers, students, and families of Wake County Public Schools. Since 1983, WakeEd has been committed to improving public education and advocating for excellent educational opportunities for all students. For more information, please visit www.wakeed.org.
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