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Wake County Schools unveils plans for 50th‑anniversary campaign emphasizing integration, equity and storytelling
Summary
District communications staff proposed a multi‑part campaign to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Raleigh/Wake merger, including community storytelling, 50 acts of service, celebration tie‑ins and fundraising to highlight integration and equity.
Wake County Schools’ communications team presented a preliminary plan at the Aug. 5 board work session for a 50th‑anniversary campaign marking the district’s July 1, 1976 merger of Raleigh City and Wake County school systems.
Lisa Alito, chief communication officer, told the board the campaign will “honor a half century of legacy” and will spotlight integration and equity. The plan centers on four pillars: coordinated district and school celebrations that incorporate the anniversary theme; “50 acts of kindness” to engage community volunteerism; student‑driven storytelling (“50 stories for 50 years”); and fundraising to support district programs and a longer‑term development strategy.
Alito said the campaign will reuse and expand materials from prior anniversary work (the 30th and 40th campaigns), will publish archival documents and lists of former board members and superintendents on a new anniversary website, and will invite broader public participation — including alumni, former staff, and community members who are unaffiliated with current schools. She said staff plans to be intentional about elevating “historically silenced voices” as part of the storytelling effort.
Examples and timeline: Alito described student storytelling projects (students interviewing alumni about closed or renovated schools such as Sherwood Bates and Ligon) and a living exhibit concept that would allow visitors to meet students who produced the stories. The communications team will produce a toolkit for integrating the anniversary theme into existing celebrations (e.g., Teacher of the Year, Principal of the Year) and will coordinate with community partners for date‑specific events. Staff said the website and outreach will roll out in phases and that additional planning committees are meeting immediately to execute the plan.
Board feedback: Board members welcomed the proposal and suggested augmenting the archival research (for example, identifying which original 1976 schools were Raleigh City versus Wake County), incorporating Rosenwald‑school histories and bringing in surviving principals and local civic leaders for oral histories. Alito said staff will compile and publish historical lists and documents by year’s end and will solicit board referrals to local partners and alumni networks.
Ending note: The board directed staff to proceed with planning and to share detailed timelines, partner lists and the anniversary website when available. Alito said she will circulate corrected artwork and a website link to board members for feedback.
