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.

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. Shallotte Middle School in Brunswick County has adopted and implemented Project Lead the Way (one of only 3 in the state), 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. The Wilmington Chamber of Commerce's Cape Fear Future initiative is exploring adoption and implementation of the PLTW program to New Hanover County.

STEM Resource

Through a new partnership, Cape Fear Future (CFF) and the University of North Carolina Wilmington's Watson School of Education (WSE) have jointly introduced 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:

1. Leadership skills/styles;
2. Community issues and challenges;
3. Dynamics of regional social and economic change;
4. Diversity; and
5. 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.

(left) Volunteers participate in Leadership Wilmington class project Work On Wilmington

The application deadline for the 2013 Class of Leadership Wilmington is July 31, 2012. Participants will be sought from corporate, business, education, professional, non-profit and governmental sectors. The Chamber Foundation Board will select a minimum of 30 participants for the class which will reflect the diversity of our community. During the selection process, the Board will review each candidate's leadership potential, community involvement and accomplishments.

Tuition

The tuition per participant is $1,300. Tuition covers all expenses for the program. An application fee of $25.00 must accompany each application. Application fee is non-refundable.

Click here for an application

Schedule for Leadership Wilmington Class of 2013

• August 9, 2012: Orientation/Alumni Award/Social
• August 20-21, 2012: Class Retreat, Trinity Center, Pine Knoll Shores
• September 18, 2012: Session 1 – Arts/History/Culture
• October 16, 2012: Session 2 – Environment
• November 20, 2012: Session 3 – Education
• December 18, 2012: Session 4 – Human Services
• January 22, 2013: Session 5 – Infrasturucture
• February 19, 2013: Session 6 – Crime & Punishment
• March 19, 2013: Session 7 – Growth & Development
• April 2, 2013: Session 8 – Politics & Government
• April 20, 2013: Work On Wilmington
• May 20, 2013: Graduation

Please note: Each regular session will be all day (8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.). Except as noted, these meetings will be on the third Tuesday of the month. The Orientation/Alumni Award Ceremony will be scheduled from 4:00-7:00 p.m., on Thursday, August 9, 2012. 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 Monday-Tuesday, August 20-21, 2012. 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. A WOW project selection meeting will be scheduled on a date in January from 4:00 – 8:30 pm to select the projects. Other special called meetings may be necessary.

Information

Haskell Rhett
(910) 762-2611 ext. 204
rhett@wilmingtonchamber.org
One Estell Lee Place
Wilmington, NC 28401
(910) 762-9765 (fax)

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 fill out the form below. This information will allow us to communicate upcoming Alumni Association events and professional development opportunities that may be available in the community.

This information is not for redistribution and will be used at the sole discretion of the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce and the Leadership Wilmington Alumni Association.

Please email us with any questions at lwalumni@wilmingtonchamber.org.

Brunswick County JobReady Partnership
(910) 371-3030

Cooperative Education Program (OJT) - Brunswick County Schools
(910) 253-2952

Cooperative Education Program (OJT) - New Hanover County Schools
(910) 254-4240

Cooperative Education Program (OJT) - Pender County
Pender County Schools
(910) 259-0131
E-mail: preston_wells@hotmail.com

JobLink Career Center - Brunswick County
Employment Security Commission
(910) 754-6120
E-mail: eli.smith@ncmail.net

JobLink Career Center - New Hanover County
Employment Security Commission
(910) 251-5777
E-mail: walker.biggs@ncmail.net

JobLink Career Center - Pender County
Employment Security Commission
(910) 259-0240
E-mail: rosemary.pittman@ncmail.net

Occupational Training Through CFCC
www.cfcc.edu
(910) 251-5676
E-Mail: csmith@capefear.cc.nc.us

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

Career Exploration:

• NC Careers
• Access to a career library, student guides, etc.
• Access to career information
• Source for career-related topics
• Source for career-related topics
• Special education

North Carolina Links:

• Employment Security Commission
• NC Business Committee for Education
• NC Citizens for Business & Industry
• NC Dept. of Commerce, Workforce Outreach
• NC Joblink One Stop Career Centers
• National Skill Standards project - NC is a participant
• NC State Occupational Coordinating Committee

National Organizations and Resources Links:

• Business Education Compact
• National Employers Leadership Council
• JobCorps
• America's Job Bank
• American Vocational Association
• National Alliance of Business
• National School to Work (JOB READY) Office

Data and Search Engine Links:

• National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee
• Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Educational Resources Information Center
• Education Search Engine

Amy Bradley School
3801 Wilshire Blvd.
Wilmington, NC 28403
(910) 794-6977
www.amybradleyschool.com

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.
www.fsow.org
Middle School (6th-8th)
350 Peiffer Avenue
Wilmington, N.C. 28409
(910) 792-1811
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

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
http://stmarkcatholicschool.org

St. Mary Catholic School (K-8)
217 S. 4th Street
Wilmington, NC 28401
910-762-5491 ext. 40
www.thestmaryparish.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.brunswick.cc.nc.us

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

Mount Olive College
1838 Sir Tyler Drive
(910) 256-0255
www.moc.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

College Foundations/Funds

College Foundation of NC
(866) 866-CFNC
www.cfnc.org

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; and
• 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;
• grant-making to individuals and organizations that seek to improve public education; and
• conducting assessments/evaluations/accountability.

Wilmington Chamber Foundation Board of Directors

Chairman
Tom Babel
Ward & Smith

Vice Chairman
Margaret Robison
Cape Fear Community College Foundation

Treasurer
Charlie Maimone
UNCW

Secretary
Melisa Gallison
Intracoastal Realty Corp.

Jim Busby
Del Mar of Wilmington Corporation

Frank Gibson
Murchison, Taylor & Gibson

John Gizdic
New Hanover Regional Medical Center

Don Hayes
New Hanover County Board of Education

Mitch Lamm
First Citizens Bank

Dr. Tim Markley
New Hanover County Schools

Connie Majure-Rhett
Wilmington Chamber of Commerce

Quinlan Miller
Corning Optical Fiber Business

Tim Neathery
PPD, Inc.

Tannis Nelson
Community Leader

Randy Reeves
Harold W. Wells & Son, Inc.

Sandra Sheridan
New Hanover County Schools

Molly White
Pender County Schools

Affiliates and Annual Programs

• Leadership Wilmington
• Current Program
• Alumni Association