Cumberland County Schools officials and a business partner used the school system’s “Let’s Talk Education” radio program to urge residents and local companies to volunteer, mentor and donate to fill needs across the district’s 86 schools and to sign up at ccs.k12.nc.us.

The request matters because district leaders said volunteers and community partners plug gaps that affect classroom instruction, student achievement and educator morale. “When we think about Cumberland County Schools, we’re here for student success,” said Dr. Lindsey Whitley, associate superintendent for communications and community engagement. “We have phenomenal educators, we have staff members, we have parents and families, and they’re all doing their role. But guess what? We need our committed community as well.”

Whitley and Rusty Hinton, general manager of Lafayette Ford and Lafayette Lincoln, described a range of volunteer and partnership opportunities. Volunteers can be mentors who meet one-on-one or over lunch to encourage students; help in classrooms with clerical tasks or short-term coverage; lead group activities or share specific professional expertise; or support schools through supply and backpack drives. The district maintains a school-by-school listing of needs on its website so partners can match offers of time or money to principal-requested items.

Whitley said the district conducts an annual needs assessment and posts the results on the Cumberland County Schools website. “We have numerous opportunities for community members to be involved,” she said. She added that volunteers who require background checks are not charged and that checks typically complete within a couple of weeks.

Rusty Hinton described his dealership’s mix of time and financial support, including scholarship help for Future Farmers of America students, backpack and school-supply drives, contributions to athletic programs and donations of supplies for trade programs such as automotive body and mechanical instruction. Hinton said the dealership also has provided teacher- and principal-recognition support and recently performed oil changes for teachers and staff as part of educator appreciation efforts. He noted the dealership received the district’s committed community support award.

Hinton recounted a volunteering moment in which dealership staff and a coworker organized a soccer session for students at Walker Spivey school; he described the session as an opportunity for short, informal mentoring and conversation that helped students open up and connect school success to future possibilities. The program’s hosts and guests also urged businesses to consult principals and district staff to identify where donations or in-kind support would be most useful rather than prescribing where funds should go.

Whitley encouraged people who have as little as 30 minutes a month or who can only help by spreading the word through churches or community groups to get involved. She noted thousands of partners already support the district but said there is still “room at the table” for more volunteers and donors. The radio segment closed with a call to action: sign up at www.ccs.k12.nc.us to view volunteer opportunities, learn about background-check requirements and connect with schools.

The discussion was descriptive and promotional; no formal board actions, votes or policy changes were announced during the segment.