CULLOWHEE—On a night when his contributions to education were recognized with the establishment of an Honored Educator Scholarship through the Development Foundation of North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching, Inc., R. Phillip Haire paid tribute to his family and his teachers.
“In thinking about this evening I have realized the great rewards and benefits that I have received from all the teachers I have had in my early education and my career,” Haire told a crowd at the NCCAT Cullowhee campus. “I recall my fourth-grade teacher, Ms. Loretta Myers, my eighth-grade teacher, Oscar Houck, and my high school history teacher, Fred Hardin, and my English teacher, Ruby Trivette. These teachers, outstanding as they were would have greatly appreciated and benefitted from the professional development programming of NCCAT.”
Dignitaries, family and friends gathered to honor Haire’s accomplishments during a presentation held Thursday October 18 at NCCAT, a recognized national leader in professional development programming for teachers.
The presentation was held for the now fully endowed R. Phillip Haire Honored Educator Scholarship that will provide support for a North Carolina public school teacher to attend an NCCAT professional development program each academic year at either the Cullowhee or Ocracoke campus, and includes $250 for the teacher to use in the classroom. The scholarship will join 35 others that NCCAT provides for pre-K–12 public school educators.
“I want to especially thank my family and the generous donors and friends, many of whom are here tonight, who have contributed to the endowed scholarship that bears my name,” Haire said. “Your contributions will enable teachers of the future to enjoy and renew their enthusiasm for teaching for many years to come.”
In his distinguished career, Haire served as a Captain in U.S. Air Force, Vice Chairman of the N.C. Bar Association Board of Governors, Chairman of the Senior Lawyers Division and Chairman of the N.C. State Bar District President. Most recently, from 1999 to 2012, Haire served seven terms in the North Carolina House of Representatives, representing the citizens of Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties.
Haire’s dedication to education is evidenced by his 12-year service on the UNC Board of Governors and five years on the Board of Trustees of Western Carolina University. Notably, Haire was a member of the original planning committee for NCCAT and made the following remarks about the Center at its inception, “NCCAT is a tangible expression of the citizens’ high regard for excellence in teaching.”
NCCAT Executive Director M. Brock Womble said NCCAT appreciates the support that will be given to the teachers of North Carolina.
“I would like to thank and congratulate Representative Haire tonight as he is surrounded by family and friends, for everything he has done over the years to support NCCAT, and most importantly, North Carolina public school teachers,” Womble said.
NCCAT’s Honored Educator Scholarship Program provides an opportunity to recognize life’s great educators by establishing scholarships in their names. Scholarship funds can be named in honor of classroom teachers, coaches, administrators, school board members or community volunteers—anyone whose teaching or influence in public education has made a positive difference in the lives of others.
The Honored Educator Scholarship program will begin taking teacher applications for academic year 2019–2010 on January 1, 2019.
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