Topics Related to Celebrate the Good

A STEM teacher at Hertford Grammar School (Perquimans County Schools), Heather Dail is one of nine finalists for the 2026 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Carolina Teacher of the Year, which will be announced at a ceremony on April 24. Ahead of the event, we are sharing the finalists’ stories so the public can get to know these extraordinary individuals and learn about their contributions to North Carolina public schools.

Hertford Grammar School sits in a town of fewer than 2,000 people, but thanks to Heather Dail, its students are learning their potential has no bounds.

A history, economics and personal finance teacher at Wilson Early College Academy (Wilson County Schools), Shannon Campbell is one of nine finalists for the 2026 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Carolina Teacher of the Year, which will be announced at a ceremony on April 24. Ahead of the event, we are sharing the finalists’ stories so the public can get to know these extraordinary individuals and learn about their contributions to North Carolina public schools.

A first-grade teacher at Lake Norman Charter School, Stephanie Lane is one of nine finalists for the 2026 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Carolina Teacher of the Year, which will be announced at a ceremony on April 24. Ahead of the event, we are sharing the finalists’ stories so the public can get to know these extraordinary individuals and learn about their contributions to North Carolina public schools.

Stephanie Lane’s classroom is a place where a kid can be a kid.

This post was written by Dr. William T. Vann III, a 20+ year educator serving as executive director of federal programs and student services at Clinton City Schools. His role includes supporting innovative efforts such as the Dark Horse Fellows Program to enhance student opportunities.

As we close out Find Your Fit, Build Your Future: Celebrating Choice in NC Public Schools, we’re ending where this initiative has pointed all along: North Carolina public schools are launchpads.  

Every day across our state, students walk into classrooms, labs, studios, gyms and auditoriums that open doors. They explore Career and Technical Education pathways, audition for specialized arts programs, compete in athletics, earn industry credentials and college credits — all at local public schools, completely tuition free.

Feb. 2-6 is National School Counseling Week. This post was written by Tuere Dunton-Forbes, a seasoned school counseling professional with two decades of experience in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS). She currently serves as one of the district’s three School Counseling Program Managers, championing middle school wellness, interdisciplinary collaboration and staff well-being. As a member of the School Health Advisory Council, Dunton-Forbes brings strategic insight and heartfelt advocacy to initiatives that support the whole child — and the whole educator.

This post was written by Alicia Rheel, head of Island Montessori Charter School in Wilmington that serves students K-8. 

At Island Montessori Charter School, we believe public education is at its best when students are empowered not only to learn, but to contribute meaningfully to the world around them. From their earliest years on our campus, students are encouraged to see themselves as capable, responsible members of a larger community. Learning is not something that happens to them — it is something they actively shape, apply and reflect upon.