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Former teacher leaves $2.7 Million to establish college scholarship program in Wake County

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(Left to Right) Rebecca Ssengonzi, Lucas Laszacs, Ryan Kemper, Matthew Kehn, Catherine Holbrook, Brittney Ford, Ares Epps at Green Hope High School (Photo courtesy of WakeEd Partnership)

The following is a press release from WakeEd Partnership

RALEIGH, N.C. — WakeEd Partnership (WakeEd), a business-backed nonprofit organization committed to improving public education in the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS), has announced the first class of Coach Bob Pittard Scholars. The following eleven students from Apex High School and Green Hope High School have been selected to each receive a $12,500 college scholarship:

• Kevin Conroy, Apex High School
• Anna Jackson, Apex High School
• Morgan Johnson, Apex High School
• Pascal Le, Apex High School
• Ares Epps, Green Hope High School
• Brittney Ford, Green Hope High School
• Catherine Holbrook, Green Hope High School
• Matthew Kehn, Green Hope High School
• Ryan Kemper, Green Hope High School
• Lucas Laszacs, Green Hope High School
• Rebecca Ssengonzi, Green Hope High School

Robert “Bobby” Ray Pittard was a graduate of Apex High School and NC State University. In addition to being a lifelong farmer in the Carpenter community, he returned to Apex High School as a science and math teacher and a basketball coach until his retirement in 1976.

When he passed away in November 2016, Mr. Pittard left in his will the financial capability and direction to establish a sustainable scholarship fund for student athletes at Apex High School and Green Hope High School. He entrusted WakeEd Partnership with $2.7 million from his estate to establish and facilitate this scholarship program.

“Coach Pittard obviously thought of others before himself,” says Carol Allen, Program Coordinator for WakeEd Partnership. “His passion was to help young people and make the world a better place by allowing them to go to college.”

“We are excited and humbled to be able to honor these students on behalf of Mr. Pittard,” says Steve Parrott, President of WakeEd. “It is thanks to Mr. Pittard’s incredible gift that deserving students in our community will be able to achieve their dreams of a higher education where it might not have been possible before.”

About WakeEd Partnership
WakeEd Partnership is an independent, nonprofit organization composed of business and community leaders committed to improving public education. Since 1983, the Partnership has advocated for excellent educational opportunities for all students in the Wake County Public School System. For more information, please visit www.wakeed.org.