Zachary Overcash Receives The Kirk Scholarship
At the September 24, 2018 Rowan-Salisbury
Board of Education business meeting,
Jesse Carson High’s math teacher, Zachary
Overcash, received the Phillip J. Kirk, Jr.
Honored Educator Scholarship award.
Mr. Phil Kirk made the presentation to
Overcash, the district’s current ‘2018 Teacher
of the Year.’ The Kirk Scholarship covers the
costs associated for a five-day seminar to
NCCAT (NC Center for the Advancement of
Teaching).
In 2006, the Development Foundation of the
North Carolina Center for the Advancement
of Teaching honored Mr. Kirk for being one
of North Carolina’s best-known advocates for
education by establishing the scholarship fund.
Mr. Kirk presents the scholarship each year to
the Rowan-Salisbury Teacher of the Year.
Mr. Kirk is a native of Salisbury and a graduate
of Catawba College. He began his career as
a teacher at Salisbury High and Knox Middle
schools before moving into the world of
politics serving under two governors. Mr. Kirk served for more than six years
as Chairman of the NC State Board of Education.
“We all need to find ways to support teachers and to assist in their
continuous improvement and effectiveness,” says Kirk. “I can't think of a
better way to do this than to give Zach Overcash a week's seminar at the
NC Center for the Advancement of Teaching. Obviously by being selected as
the Rowan-Salisbury Teacher of the Year, we know he is already an excellent
teacher but also one who desires to even more positively affect young lives.”
“I am grateful to receive this scholarship,” says Overcash. “This is an
awesome opportunity that Mr. Kirk continues to provide by giving back to
teachers in Rowan County. I respect Mr. Kirk's educational perspective and
outlook. I look forward to my NCCAT experience.”
“Mr. Kirk continues to show his support for public education particularly to
his home community right here in Rowan County,” says Rowan-Salisbury
Superintendent Dr. Lynn Moody. “It is always a pleasure to welcome Phil
home each year as he honors one of our teachers with this professional
development scholarship. After experiencing NCCAT, this allows our teachers
to return to the classroom with a renewed and enriched learning experience
for our children. ‘Thank you’ Mr. Kirk.”
This marks the tenth consecutive year that Kirk has provided this scholarship
to a Rowan-Salisbury teacher. In addition to Overcash, previous recipients
include the following former RSS Teachers-of-the-Year:
1.
Joy Whidden
2.
Julie Stolze
3.
Theresa Pierce
4.
Sakinah Riley
5.
Alex Reynolds
6.
Cassie Thompson
7.
Nancy Goodnight
8.
Anthony Johnson
9.
Abby Covington
Early College Teacher Theresa Pierce Receives National Honor
Theresa Pierce, World & History Teacher at Rowan County Early College was honored by the Board of Education
Mrs. Pierce received the
national “2018 Distinguished
Teacher Achievement Award
for K-12” for Excellence
in Geography Teaching by
the National Council for
Geographic Education. The
award was present at the
annual National Conference
on Geography Education held
in Quebec Canada in early
August.
The National Council for
Geographic Education (NCGE)
is a non-profit organization,
chartered in 1915 to enhance the status and quality
of geography teaching and learning. NCGE supports
geography teaching at all levels—from kindergarten
through university.
Parent Teacher Magazine • November/December 2018 • 3