A Vision Born from Community

In 2008, a group of business leaders, educators, realtors, and local officials came together with a bold idea: to raise educational attainment in Rockingham County and attract new opportunity to our rural region. Out of that shared vision, the Rockingham County Education Foundation (RCEF) was born—to be a catalyst for stronger schools and brighter futures.

 

College Advisors in Every High School

RCEF partnered with the Carolina College Advising Corps and the Reidsville Area Foundation to place trained, near-peer college advisors in every high school in Rockingham County. These recent graduates provided one-on-one support to students navigating the college admissions process, especially those from first-generation and low-income families.​

​

College advisors did more than help with FAFSA and SATs. They built trust. They took students on college tours, worked with families new to higher education, and created a college-going culture in every school. Students who worked with advisors were significantly more likely to apply to college, secure financial aid, and enroll.

 

Scholarships That Honor Stories

RCEF help establish scholarships that recognized a broad spectrum of student excellence. The Charlie Poole Scholarship supports local students pursuing music education, honoring the legacy of Rockingham County’s most famous banjo player. The Lindsay Apple IB Scholarship, created in partnership with the Apple family and Reidsville High School, honors one or more 1999 IB graduates who embody the values of service, leadership, and resilience. The award supported IB students who demonstrated academic strength and personal character, with preference given to those overcoming adversity.

 

Trails K12: Classrooms Without Walls​

In 2020, RCEF launched Trails K12, a first-of-its-kind initiative to build a trail on every public school campus in Rockingham County. Sparked by the need for outdoor learning during the COVID-19 pandemic,

 

Trails K12 became a long-term strategy to support wellness, creativity, and academic engagement through nature. Professionally designed and built in collaboration with RoundRock Design, each trail was created as an outdoor classroom: part science lab, part stage, part sanctuary. In 2024, RCEF transferred stewardship of the program to the Resilient Trails Network, which now leads its regional expansion.

 

SOAR: Meeting Student Needs with Dignity​

Originally created as a fund managed by principals, SOAR (Student Opportunity, Advancement, and Resiliency) grew under RCEF’s leadership into a nimble, school-embedded resource that allowed teachers, counselors, and social workers to quickly address the urgent needs of students—whether that meant warm clothing, hygiene supplies, transportation assistance, or eyeglasses.

​

SOAR was more than a safety net. It became a tool for trust-building between schools and families, allowing staff to act with compassion and immediacy. We streamlined access, built equity across schools, and made sure that help didn’t come with hoops.

​

By the time RCEF paused operations in 2025, SOAR had become a vital part of how schools supported student well-being—quietly, consistently, and with care.

 

Supporting the Whole Student​

While college access was our starting point, RCEF’s work grew to support students across the entire educational spectrum. Over time, we invested in early childhood learning, workforce development, teacher support, and parent engagement because helping students succeed means supporting the adults around them, too.

 

Foundation for the Future

The Rockingham County Education Foundation was never just about programs. We've always been about possibility. Over 15 years, we created systems that opened doors, built relationships, and removed barriers for students across our community.

​