05/06/2026
Rise & Shine Honors Laura Leatherwood’s Legacy
After nearly a decade of dedicated service to Neighbors in Ministry, Inc., Rise & Shine,
Program Director Laura Leatherwood is bidding farewell. She leaves behind a legacy of
compassion, commitment, and lasting impact on the lives of the children and families at Rise &
Shine.
To honor her, Rise & Shine will host a reception on June 3, 2026, from 4 p.m. to 6
p.m. in the Brevard Trust Center, 67 W. Main St. All volunteers, parents, alumni and
friends of Rise & Shine are invited.
“If you’ve shared in Laura’s journey, as part of Rise & Shine, the school system, or
as a friend, you are invited to come and wish her a fond farewell,” stated Deb Le, chair
of the Board of Directors. “Please help us send Laura into a much-deserved retirement
by sharing good food, music and special memories with her and the entire community.”
Maurice Jones, Executive Director of Rise & Shine, said, “Laura’s leadership has
helped shape the heart of Rise and Shine, creating meaningful opportunities and brighter
futures for countless young people in our community. She has been more than a leader—she’s
been a steady, caring presence in the lives of our scholars. Her impact will be felt for years to
come.”
Leatherwood retired from Transylvania County Schools in 2016 after teaching at Straus
Elementary and Pisgah Forest Elementary. Soon after her public-school retirement she joined
the staff at Rise & Shine as Guided Reading Specialist. She coordinated the Guided Reading
volunteers, developed lesson plans and taught lessons.
In later years, she transitioned to working with small groups and individual
scholars who had delayed phonics skills so that they could progress more quickly with
their reading skills. She also began coordinating the 50 plus volunteers who were the
one-on-one tutors in the program.
In January 2025, Leatherwood was promoted to Program Director at Rise &
Shine.
In this position she managed the enrollment for the fall and summer programs,
coordinated all of the volunteers, planned the programming for the scholars, and
oversaw the staff who worked directly with the scholars. It also included
frequent communications with parents and the school staff so that Rise & Shine
could provide support to the families and classroom teachers.
“After a total of 38 years of teaching and working with children, it’s time to really
retire this time,” said Leatherwood. She plans to spend time with her family and
relax.
The organization is a 501c3 nonprofit under the auspices of Neighbors in
Ministry, Inc., with a mission to enrich children, empower parents, and encourage
community. To that end, after-school programming revolves around one-on-one
tutoring, homework help, STEM, enrichment and guided reading activities. K-12 scholars
are enrolled free of charge on a first-come-first-served basis.
This year is Rise & Shine’s 30th anniversary years of impact! Visit riseshine.org to
learn more.
Laura Leatherwood, retiring Program Director at Rise & Shine, will be missed by
the countless scholars she has mentored over the years. Some of them are shown here
with Leatherwood at Rise & Shine’s Bethel A Campus. All past and present parents,
volunteers and associates of Rise & Shine are invited to Laura’s retirement reception on
June 3 at the Brevard Trust Center from 4 to 6 p.m.
