Nicole L. Bradley of Saluda Elementary School and Robert E. Pettis of Polk County Middle School attended programs held at the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching, a recognized national leader in professional development programming for our state’s teachers.

Pettis was named the NCCAT 2014–2015 Susan S. McHugh Honored Educator Scholar. This scholarship was established by the Stuart and Margaret L. Forbes Foundation of Polk County to honor Susan McHugh, a former superintendent of Polk County Schools and lifelong North Carolina educator. The late Mrs. Margaret L. Forbes, local champion of education and philanthropy, lived in Polk County for more than 40 years and dedicated herself to serving her community through generous charitable giving, volunteering, and tireless work to expand educational opportunities for children and students. The Susan S. McHugh Honored Educator Scholarship honors the lifelong dedication of Ms. McHugh to the profession of teaching and education.

NCCAT’s Honored Educator Scholarship Program gives tribute to outstanding individuals and educators by providing scholarship funds in their names.

Increasing teacher effectiveness is fundamental to improving public education. NCCAT provides teachers with new knowledge, skills, teaching methods, best practices and information to take back to their classrooms. For more information about NCCAT visit www.nccat.org or call 828-293-5202.

-Submitted by Nancy E. Watkin