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Board members favor regional model to expand Spotlight on Students
Summary
After hearing staff present options, the committee signaled support for moving Spotlight on Students from district meetings into regional events to increase access, invite community partners and broaden the number of students recognized.
Wake County Public Schools board members told staff they favored a regional model for the Spotlight on Students recognition program, saying taking events into communities would make them more accessible to families and allow more students and local partners to participate.
Nut graf: Committee discussion centered on preserving the program's core purpose — recognizing students who demonstrate confidence, kindness, strength and determination — while expanding formats and categories (for example arts, athletics, academics) and rotating host sites to reach more families across Wake County.
Committee chair and others argued the current district‑level presentation limits family attendance and can create quorum dependencies that sometimes prevent individual students from being recognized. Several members suggested quarterly regional events, possibly organized by quadrant, with school tables or partner booths so attendees could learn about local resources while students were honored.
Board members discussed logistics and constraints. Staff said the board's existing Spotlight on Students model runs for grades 3–12 (school staff earlier noted the event could include elementary through high school nominees) and that moving it into the community would require more staff time than running a single district event. Dr. Pettiford noted the tradeoff: regional events would increase capacity and accessibility but demand more staff support. Committee members asked staff to draft a proposal and return with options.
Action/direction: Committee members asked staff to develop a proposal for a regional Spotlight on Students model (including options on frequency, regional breakdown and number of students per event) and to return with recommendations before the 2025–26 school year. Staff and the board also discussed piloting rotating host schools and inviting municipal and community partners to participate.
Ending: Staff said they would take the committee's feedback and produce a more detailed plan; committee members signaled a preference for regional events in the 2025–26 school year and asked staff to present options at a future community engagement meeting.
