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OURCOMMUNITY CONNECTING

THE WINSTON-SALEM FOUNDATION

2015 REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY | 2014 ANNUAL REPORT

PENNY AND LIBBY BOOKE are big supporters of public education — and they believe the best

path to learning is to invest in teachers.

The Bookes have lived in Winston-Salem since the late 1950s. Coming from a family of teachers and school administrators, Libby has always known the powerful impact educators can have. Her uncle, C.B. Eller, was superintendent of the Wilkes County Public Schools for 35 years, so it was a fitting tribute when Libby and Penny, and the Eller family, established a fund in his honor for educators in Wilkes County.

Two years later, the couple, along with Penny’s brother Sam, and sister-in-law Eleanor, created the Sam and Anne Booke Family Trust in honor of their parents. Both brothers had joined their father in the family business, Booke and Company, and were com-mitted to giving to and investing in their community. The focus of the trust quickly turned to education, and it has been funding the Foundation’s annual Forsyth County Teacher Grants for more than two decades.

The teacher grants support professional growth and enrichment opportunities and are awarded to educators in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. Each year, applications come from across the district, representing diverse schools, grades, and subjects. Recipients may be teachers just a few years into their careers, long-time educators, or others in the school community such as media coordinators or guidance counselors.

Over the years, the grants have helped educators bring new ideas and energy into the schools. They have funded efforts ranging from outdoor classrooms to poets-in-residence to science lessons. Many educators seek funds to support their own learning through workshops or conferences. Some travel to deepen their knowledge of culture, language, and history. Others learn new approaches for teaching specialized groups or improving student outcomes. Most participate on their own time, typically over the summer.

“The more we improve teaching methods, the better off students are,” said Libby. “When we value and help our teachers, we can make a difference in many students’ lives.”

A key goal of the grants is to extend new knowledge and best practices across teachers and schools, and recipients are asked to share their experiences with their peers.

This sharing also extends to an annual gathering for all teacher grant recipients and their principals, in which a number of grant recipients are able to present their projects. All have a chance to talk with their peers, be inspired, and feel appreciated.

“We are absolutely stunned at what teachers have taken on and how they make it happen,” Libby said. “It’s a special experience to see how innovative educators can be, keeping up with the needs of the world and the children going out into it.”

“We are always impressed with the enthusiasm and creativity and skill of the teachers in the school system,” agreed Penny. “As times change and as the needs of schools and students change, the types of grants will change. But this support for teachers will always be there.”

“The more we improve teaching methods, the better off students are. When we value and help our teachers, we can make a difference in many students’ lives.”

PENNY AND LIBBY BOOKE

DONORS

NEXT: BRAD RHEW is an eighth grade science teacher at Walkertown Middle School. In 2014, he received a FORSYTH COUNTY TEACHER GRANT to support a hands-on learning experience for his students about how underwater robots are used to work in oceans. LEARN MORE >

THE SAM AND ANNE BOOKE FAMILY TRUST was established

in 1989. Along with three other funds, it provides support

for annual Forsyth County Teacher Grants of up to $2,500 for

professional enrichment opportunities for educators in Winston-

Salem/Forsyth County Schools. In 2015, a total of $78,446 was

granted to 52 teachers. Recipients are selected by an advisory

committee of professional educators.

Penny and Libby established the Elizabeth E. and Henry M. Booke

Trust, a donor-advised fund, in 1994 and are also members of the

Foundation’s Legacy Society.

t h e w i n s t o n - s a l e m f o u n d a t i o n a n n u a l r e p o r t OUR COMMUNITY CONNECTING [ 2 8 - 2 9 ]

PENNY AND LIBBY BOOKE are big supporters of public education — and they believe the best

path to learning is to invest in teachers.

The Bookes have lived in Winston-Salem since the late 1950s. Coming from a family of teachers and school administrators, Libby has always known the powerful impact educators can have. Her uncle, C.B. Eller, was superintendent of the Wilkes County Public Schools for 35 years, so it was a fitting tribute when Libby and Penny, and the Eller family, established a fund in his honor for educators in Wilkes County.

Two years later, the couple, along with Penny’s brother Sam, and sister-in-law Eleanor, created the Sam and Anne Booke Family Trust in honor of their parents. Both brothers had joined their father in the family business, Booke and Company, and were com-mitted to giving to and investing in their community. The focus of the trust quickly turned to education, and it has been funding the Foundation’s annual Forsyth County Teacher Grants for more than two decades.

The teacher grants support professional growth and enrichment opportunities and are awarded to educators in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. Each year, applications come from across the district, representing diverse schools, grades, and subjects. Recipients may be teachers just a few years into their careers, long-time educators, or others in the school community such as media coordinators or guidance counselors.

Over the years, the grants have helped educators bring new ideas and energy into the schools. They have funded efforts ranging from outdoor classrooms to poets-in-residence to science lessons. Many educators seek funds to support their own learning through workshops or conferences. Some travel to deepen their knowledge of culture, language, and history. Others learn new approaches for teaching specialized groups or improving student outcomes. Most participate on their own time, typically over the summer.

“The more we improve teaching methods, the better off students are,” said Libby. “When we value and help our teachers, we can make a difference in many students’ lives.”

A key goal of the grants is to extend new knowledge and best practices across teachers and schools, and recipients are asked to share their experiences with their peers.

This sharing also extends to an annual gathering for all teacher grant recipients and their principals, in which a number of grant recipients are able to present their projects. All have a chance to talk with their peers, be inspired, and feel appreciated.

“We are absolutely stunned at what teachers have taken on and how they make it happen,” Libby said. “It’s a special experience to see how innovative educators can be, keeping up with the needs of the world and the children going out into it.”

“We are always impressed with the enthusiasm and creativity and skill of the teachers in the school system,” agreed Penny. “As times change and as the needs of schools and students change, the types of grants will change. But this support for teachers will always be there.”

“The more we improve teaching methods, the better off students are. When we value and help our teachers, we can make a difference in many students’ lives.”

PENNY AND LIBBY BOOKE

DONORS

NEXT: BRAD RHEW is an eighth grade science teacher at Walkertown Middle School. In 2014, he received a FORSYTH COUNTY TEACHER GRANT to support a hands-on learning experience for his students about how underwater robots are used to work in oceans. LEARN MORE >

THE SAM AND ANNE BOOKE FAMILY TRUST was established

in 1989. Along with three other funds, it provides support

for annual Forsyth County Teacher Grants of up to $2,500 for

professional enrichment opportunities for educators in Winston-

Salem/Forsyth County Schools. In 2015, a total of $78,446 was

granted to 52 teachers. Recipients are selected by an advisory

committee of professional educators.

Penny and Libby established the Elizabeth E. and Henry M. Booke

Trust, a donor-advised fund, in 1994 and are also members of the

Foundation’s Legacy Society.

t h e w i n s t o n - s a l e m f o u n d a t i o n a n n u a l r e p o r t OUR COMMUNITY CONNECTING [ 2 8 - 2 9 ]