Lee County Education Foundation

06/10/2026

Thank you, Sanford Area Growth Alliance, for your support and for sharing our story. We're excited about our growing Sloan Scholars community of homegrown educators!

06/05/2026

We're happy to share some of the professional photos from last week's Sloan Scholars Reception celebrating our 2026 Sloan Scholars, Bella Derr and Darah Douglas, as well as our growing community of Sloan Scholars!

The Sloan Scholars program provides a $36,000 forgivable loan to future educators in exchange for returning to teach in Lee County Schools after college. We're proud to continue investing in homegrown teachers and the future of public education in Lee County. We're also thankful for our partners who make the opportunity possible- Lee County Schools, Central Carolina Community College, and the Temple Sloan Family Foundation. Also thanks to GiGi's Creations for the amazing spread and perfect location to celebrate.

And for rising seniors interested in becoming part of this Sloan Scholar community, be on the lookout for the 2027 Sloan Scholars application to open this fall!

06/04/2026

We were honored to attend yesterday’s portrait unveiling ceremony celebrating the legacy and lifetime of service of Dennis Wicker.

While many know Dennis for his decades of public service and leadership across North Carolina, we are especially grateful for his unwavering commitment to education and to the Lee County Education Foundation. As a founding board member, Dennis has helped shape our organization from the very beginning and remains an active and valued member of our LCEF family today.

Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition. Thank you, Dennis, for your leadership, your service, and your continued dedication to the students, educators, and community of Lee County.

Former North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Dennis Wicker with his wife Alisa and the rest of his family Wednesday at the Lee County Courthouse. Wicker and his family were on hand for the unveiling o…

05/29/2026

We wanted to share another quick photo from yesterday’s 2026 Sloan Scholars Reception!

While we were there to officially welcome and celebrate our newest Sloan Scholars, Bella Derr and Darah Douglas, we were also thrilled to have all of our previous Sloan Scholars join us as well. This community of homegrown future educators continues to grow, and we could not be more proud of this incredible group.

Bella M., Anna, Susann, Darah, and Bella D. are truly the best billboards for this program and the impact it is making. There is so much to celebrate and be excited about as we continue building a strong pipeline of future teachers for Lee County Schools.

The Sloan Scholars program awards recipients $36,000 toward college in exchange for returning to teach in Lee County Schools for four years after graduation.

As always, thank you to our partners at Lee County Schools and Central Carolina Community College , and to the Temple Sloan Family Foundation for their generous financial support of this incredible opportunity.

And for current high school seniors interested in becoming part of this growing community of homegrown teachers... be on the lookout for the 2027 Sloan Scholars application to open this fall!

More photo shares to come next week!

05/29/2026

Yesterday, Bella Derr and Darah Douglas graduated from LEC_cccc… and today, we had the joy of celebrating them at their 2026 Sloan Scholars reception!

We enjoyed a wonderful afternoon of great food & setting by GiGi's Creations, getting to know these impressive young ladies even better, and celebrating not only this exciting milestone for them, but also the growing community of Sloan Scholars and homegrown teachers being built right here in Lee County.

More photos to come soon, but we couldn’t wait to share a few from today with some of the people who were able to attend and celebrate alongside our 2026 winners. I wish I had been able to snap more pictures because it was a great crowd!

As always, thank you to Lee County Schools and Central Carolina Community College for partnering with us, and to the Temple Sloan Family Foundation for their generous and continued support of this life-changing opportunity for future educators.

05/27/2026

We were saddened to hear of the passing of Lee County Schools Board member Marcus Mason. Though a recent addition to the board, it was already clear that he was eager to serve, learn, and do what was best for students and for our community.

May we all aspire to have such a servant’s heart.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and the entire Lee County Schools community during this difficult time.

Marcus Mason is sworn in as a member of the Lee County Board of Education in January. Photo: Lee County Schools By Gordon Anderson | [email protected] Lee County Board of Education member Marcus Ma…

05/26/2026

A huge thank you to Southern Lee High School for welcoming us in to speak with some of the enrolled and prospective Teacher Cadet students about the Sloan Scholars opportunity.

We were especially excited to have our very first Sloan Scholar, Southern Lee alum Anna Marks, there to share about her experience with the program, the ease of the application process, and how the Sloan Scholars community has supported her during her first years of college.

We hope to see some Southern Lee applicants next year! We also hope to visit with students who enroll in the newly formed Teacher Academies being offered at Lee County Schools' traditional high schools next year as part of the LocalLee initiative.

The Sloan Scholars program provides a $36,000 forgivable loan to graduating Lee County Schools students pursuing careers in education in exchange for returning to teach in Lee County for four years. The program is a partnership between the Lee County Education Foundation, Central Carolina Community College, and Lee County Schools. The program is generously funded by the Temple Sloan Family Foundation.

Thank you again to Southern Lee and Anna for helping us share this incredible opportunity as we continue growing our community of future homegrown educators.

05/21/2026

We had a joyful Wednesday afternoon as one of our founding members, Dennis Wicker, met with our 2026 Sloan Scholars to walk them through the legal paperwork for the Sloan Scholars program.

The Sloan Scholars opportunity is awarded to graduating Lee County Schools students who plan to pursue education and return home to teach in Lee County Schools. Through this partnership between the Lee County Education Foundation, Central Carolina Community College, and the generous financial support of the Temple Sloan Family Foundation, recipients receive a $36,000 forgivable loan in exchange for returning to teach in Lee County for four years.

We are so proud of this program and the growing community of future homegrown educators it is helping build right here at home.

We look forward to officially celebrating Darah and Bella at our Sloan Scholars Reception later this month!

05/14/2026

Sometimes the most important work happening in our schools doesn’t make big headlines & isn't necessarily reflected in test scores.

It looks like a student gaining confidence in reading & math.
A future teacher deciding to come back home to serve Lee County.
An educator feeling supported and celebrated.

That’s the kind of impact community support makes possible.

Thank you for continuing to believe in our students, educators, & schools that make Lee County Schools so very special. Together, we’re building something that matters.

05/08/2026

As Teacher Appreciation Week comes to a close, we want to say thank you.

Thank you to the educators, support staff, administrators, and every person who helps make our Lee County Schools strong. The impact you have on students, and our community, is lasting and immeasurable.

We are grateful for you today... and every day.