An Educated Work Force
New Hanover, Pender and Brunswick Counties feature dynamic public and private education choices. The three school districts collectively operate 78 schools with grades K-12.
Learn more about the school districts and their rankings: NHC Schools Report Cards
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)
The Cape Fear region continues to set the bar for cities across the state for the design and implementation of innovative programs and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) based learning. We are dedicated to providing students with a STEM education as it creates critical thinkers, increases science literacy, and generates innovation, leading to new products and processes that sustain our economy.
New Hanover County Schools are the only district in the state to have two STEM-based schools: Rachel Freeman School of Engineering and Gregory School of Science, Mathematics, and Technology. The Wilmington Chamber of Commerce’s Cape Fear Future initiative started the Project Lead The Way (PLTW) program at Trask Middle School in New Hanover County in 2013. Project Lead the Way is a STEM-based curriculum that incorporates engineering, robotics, aerospace and other STEM-related courses. The elective curriculum is offered to students in middle and high school. After beginning the program at Trask, CFF funded PLTW for sixth-eighth grade students. The program introduces them to engineering, robotics, computer modeling, and energy. The program was so well received that the school system expanded it to an additional school and is exploring expanding it to all area middle schools. PLTW has been cited by the Harvard Graduate School of Education as a “model for 21st century career and technical education.”
STEM Resource
Cape Fear Future (CFF) and the University of North Carolina Wilmington’s Watson School of Education (WSE) partnered to develop a new website that outlines available STEM programs across the region. This tool is a wonderful resource for students, parents and teachers seeking STEM-related camps, contests, classes, and more.
Visit the site: www.uncw.edu/ed/stem
The objective of Leadership Wilmington is to educate, challenge and motivate leaders and future leaders to utilize their leadership skills to work for the betterment of our community. There are five components that will be stressed throughout the program. They are:
- Leadership skills/styles
- Community issues and challenges
- Dynamics of regional social and economic change
- Diversity
- Class project
The ten-month program consists of eight all-day sessions, an orientation social, a two-day retreat to begin the program, Work On Wilmington, and a graduation ceremony. The all-day sessions occur once a month from September through April. To complete the program successfully, each class member is expected to participate in the orientation/social, retreat, all monthly program sessions, Work On Wilmington and graduation. Participants must make a serious commitment to the program and employers must agree in advance to grant participants time off from their duties to attend all scheduled activities.
The application deadline for the 2018 Class of Leadership Wilmington is June 30, 2017. Participants will be sought from corporate, business, education, professional, non-profit and governmental sectors. A maximum of 35 participants for the class will be chosen which will reflect the diversity of our community. During the selection process, each candidate’s leadership potential, community involvement and accomplishments will be reviewed.
Tuition
The tuition per participant is $1,600. Tuition covers all expenses for the program. An application fee of $25.00 must accompany each application. Application fee is non-refundable.
Schedule for Leadership Wilmington Class of 2018-19
- August 9, 2018: Orientation/Alumni Award/Social
- August 23-24, 2018: Class Retreat, Fort Caswell, Oak Island, NC
- September 18, 2018: Session 1 – Arts/History/Culture
- October 16, 2018: Session 2 – Environment
- November 13, 2018: Session 3 – Education
- December 11, 2018: Session 4 – Human Services
- January 15, 2019: Session 5 – Infrastructure
- February 12, 2019: Session 6 – Crime & Punishment
- March 12, 2019: Session 7 – Growth & Development
- April 2, 2019: Session 8 – Politics & Government
- April 27, 2019: Work On Wilmington
- May 13, 2019 (tentative): Graduation Ceremony
Please note: Each regular session will be all day (8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.). The Orientation/Alumni Award Ceremony will be scheduled from 4:00-7:00 p.m., on Thursday, August 9, 2018. The class Retreat will encompass two full days and will require an overnight stay. The Retreat is MANDATORY for all class members. The Retreat will be on Thursday-Friday, August 23-24, 2018. Session 8 (Politics & Government) will include dinner at City Hall with the City Council, followed by attendance at the City Council meeting at 6:30 pm. This meeting is on the first Tuesday, and will be in keeping with City Council’s meeting schedule. Other special called meetings regarding the Work On Wilmington class project may be necessary.
Contact Information
Co-Director Faye Dunaway
910.762.2611 ext. 211 | dunaway@wilmingtonchamber.org
Co-Director Scott Czechlewski
910.762.2611 ext. 216 | czechlewski@wilmingtonchamber.org
Mission
The mission of the Leadership Wilmington Alumni Association is to provide a resource for all graduates, as well as the Wilmington business and service communities. The association strives to continue offering professional development opportunities for its membership, and to marry the talent from the alumni association with the volunteer needs of the business and service communities, event committee members and board appointments.
Additionally, our intent is to hold networking events throughout the year to bring alumni together and to provide ongoing interaction with one another.
To Join
If you are a Leadership Wilmington Alumni and would like to join the association, please contact Faye Dunaway (dunaway@wilmingtonchamber.org) or Scott Czechlewski (czechlewski@wilmingtonchamber.org). This information will allow us to communicate upcoming Alumni Association events and professional development opportunities that may be available in the community.
Karl Davis Alumni of the Year Award
Know a deserving graduate for the Alumni of the Year Award? Nominate them!
Brunswick County JobReady Partnership
Cooperative Education Program (OJT) – Brunswick County Schools
Cooperative Education Program (OJT) – New Hanover County Schools
Cooperative Education Program (OJT) – Pender County
Pender County Schools
910.259.0131
JobLink Career Center – Brunswick County
Employment Security Commission
910.754.6120
JobLink Career Center – New Hanover County
Employment Security Commission
910.251.5777
JobLink Career Center – Pender County
Employment Security Commission
910.259.0240
Occupational Training Through CFCC
Online College Courses
www.onlineschools.org/guides/North-Carolina
Region “O” Council for the Advancement of Minorities in Engineering (ROCAME)
New Hanover County Schools
910.254.4277
Calvary Christian School
423 N 23rd St.
Wilmington, NC 28405
910.343.1565
www.calvarychristianwilmington.com
Cape Fear Academy
3900 South College Road
Wilmington, NC 28412
910.791.0287
www.capefearacademy.org
Coastal Christian High School
709 George Anderson Dr.
Wilmington, NC 28412
910.395.9995
www.coastalchristian.net
First Presbyterian Church Preschool & Kindergarten
125 South 3rd Street
Wilmington, NC 28401-4554
910.762.2066
The Friends School of Wilmington, Inc.
Middle School (6th-8th)
350 Peiffer Avenue
Wilmington, N.C. 28409
910.792.1811
www.fsow.org
Elementary & PreSchool (18 months – 5th)
207 Pine Grove Drive
Wilmington, NC 28403
910.791.8221
Myrtle Grove Christian School
806 Piner Road
Wilmington, NC 28409
910.392.2067
www.mgcs.org
New Horizons
3705 South College Road
Wilmington, NC 28412
910.392.5209
www.newhorizonselementary.org
Pathways Middle & High School
3110 Randall Parkway
Wilmington, NC 28403
910.343.3321
www.pathwaysofwilmington.org
The Roger Bacon Academy
3610 Thaddeus Lott Lane, Leland, NC 28451
910.655.3600
www.rogerbaconacademy.net
SACPC Preschool
1416 Market Street
Wilmington, NC 28401
910.762.9693
www.sacpc.org
St. Mark Catholic School
1013 Eastwood Road
Wilmington, NC 28403
910.452.2800
www.stmarkcatholicschool.org
St. Mary Catholic School (K-8)
217 S. 4th Street
Wilmington, NC 28401
910.762.5491 ext. 40
www.thestmaryparish.org
Wilmington Academy of Arts and Sciences
6201 Myrtle Grove Road
Wilmington, NC 28409
910.392.3139
http://www.wilmingtonacademy.org
Wilmington Christian Academy
1401 North College Road
Wilmington, NC 28403
910.791.4248
www.wilmingtonchristian.com
Wilmington Country Day School
3114 Middle Sound Loop Road
Wilmington, NC 28403
910.686.1110
Winter Park Preschool/Primary Day School
4501 Wrightsville Avenue
Wilmington, NC 28403
910.791.5893
www.winterparkpres.com/preschool.asp
New Hanover County Public Schools
6410 Carolina Beach Road
Wilmington, NC 28412
910.763.5431
www.nhcs.k12.nc.us
Brunswick County Schools
35 Referendum Drive, NE
Bolivia, North Carolina 28422
910.253.2900
www.co.brunswick.k12.nc.us
Pender County Schools
925 Penderlea Highway
Burgaw, NC 28425
910.259.2187
www.pendercountyschools.net
View ratings for all North Carolina schools at www.ncreportcards.org.
Area Colleges and Universities
Brunswick Community College
50 College Road
Bolivia, NC 28422
910.755.7300
800.754.1050
www.brunswickcc.edu
Cape Fear Community College
411 N. Front Street
Wilmington, NC 28401-3993
910.362.7000
www.cfcc.edu
Miller-Motte Technical College
5000 Market Street
910.392.4660
www.miller-motte.edu
University of Mount Olive
1838 Sir Tyler Drive
910.256.0255
www.umo.edu
Shaw University – Wilmington
224 North Front Street
910.763.9091
www.shawuniversity.edu
University of North Carolina Wilmington
601 South College Road
910.962.3000
www.uncw.edu
Mission
The Wilmington Chamber Foundation partners with educational institutions and the business community to improve current and future workforce preparedness by:
- communicating business needs to the educational community
- facilitating educational and training solutions for workforce preparedness needs
- developing programs for future leaders
- identifying and implementing strategies to fund Foundation-approved programs
Activities
The Foundation exists primarily to support public K-12 education in New Hanover and Pender Counties. As such, its activities include:
- fundraising for initiatives to improve public education
- gathering input about education needs from business and the community via forums and other means
- serving as the link between the public schools and the business community
- conducting assessments/evaluations/accountability