🚶♀️🚴♂️🎉 History in the making! Y.E. Smith Elementary and Eastway Elementary teamed up for their first-ever joint Walk, Bike & Roll to School Day — and it was a celebration to remember!
With support from Mayor Leonardo Williams, Councilmembers Carl Rist & Chelsea Cook, and a Durham Police Motor Unit escort, students showed off their moves and talents during a high-energy opening ceremony spotlighting the excellence at both schools. 💫
Huge thanks to Bike Durham for making this event possible and continuing to support our walk, bike, and roll movement across the city!
#WalkBikeRoll #WeAreDPS #BikeDurham
💰 Scholars securing the dollars! 💰
Massive congrats to Karma Livingston of Hillside High School — recipient of both the Cheatham-White Scholarship and The Gates Scholarship. She will be attend North Carolina A&T State University in the fall!
Double the scholarships, full ride, unlimited potential. 🎓🚀 #WeAreDPS #DPSProud
💰 Scholars securing the dollars! 💰
Salute to Lizbeth Natasha Luna-Lopez of City of Medicine Academy — awarded The Gates Scholarship and headed to Harvard University with a full ride worth $388,536!
Hard work. Big dreams. Ivy League. Fully funded. 🎓💥 #WeAreDPS #DPSProud
💰 Scholars securing the dollars! 💰
Huge congrats to Alexa Quiroz-Colocho of JD Clement Early College High School — awarded a QuestBridge Scholarship to the University of Chicago worth a whopping $251,760!
Elite school. Full ride. Zero debt. That’s how you do it. 🎓💼 #WeAreDPS #DPSProud
💰 Scholars securing the dollars! 💰
Major congratulations to Maria Palomino-Velez of JD Clement Early College High School — winner of The Gates Scholarship and headed to NC State University!
One of the most prestigious scholarships in the country — full ride, full pride. 🎓🏆 #WeAreDPS #DPSProud
💰 Scholars securing the dollars! 💰
Shoutout to Mina Alina Azhar of JD Clement Early College High School — selected as a Goodnight Scholar at NC State University with a total award of $92,000!
The future looks bright (and fully funded). 🎓🔥 #DPSProud #WeAreDPS
💰 Scholars securing the dollars! 💰
Big congrats to Sa’adatu Suleiman of JD Clement Early College High School — awarded the Presidential Scholars Award from Eastern Connecticut State University, totaling $40,000!
Your hard work is paying off — literally. 🎓💸 #WeAreDPS #DPSProud
💥 8 Years Strong! 💥
Burton Elementary has once again been named a Capturing Kids’ Hearts® National Showcase School — for the eighth consecutive year! 🏆✨
This incredible streak recognizes Burton’s unwavering commitment to building a school culture where students feel safe, connected, and supported — every single day.
By consistently using Capturing Kids’ Hearts® strategies, our educators have created a space where relationships come first and students thrive both emotionally and academically. From warm greetings at the door to fostering mutual respect through social contracts, it’s all about making sure every student feels seen, heard, and valued.
👏 Congratulations to our Burton teachers, staff, families, and students. You continue to lead the way in building strong connections and brighter futures. #BurtonPride #8YearsStrong #CapturingKidsHearts
🎉 Big News from Eastway Elementary! 🎉
We're proud to announce that Eastway Elementary has been named a 2024-2025 Capturing Kids’ Hearts® National Showcase School! 🌟
This prestigious honor celebrates schools that go above and beyond to create a safe, connected, and supportive environment where students thrive — emotionally and academically.
Principal Dr. Jackaline Teel said it best:
"This honor reflects the unwavering commitment of our teachers, staff, students, and families to creating a school culture where every child feels seen, valued, and supported."
👏 Congratulations to our incredible Eastway community! #CapturingKidsHearts #EastwayExcellence #WeAreDPS #DPSProud
🚨 Big News from Lakewood Elementary! 🚨
Lakewood has officially been named a 2024-2025 Capturing Kids’ Hearts® National Showcase School! 🎉🏆
This honor puts Lakewood among a select group of schools nationwide recognized for building a campus culture where students feel safe, connected, and truly cared for.
Principal Jeri Jackson shared:
"Before students can succeed academically, they must first feel emotionally safe and supported. Being named a Showcase School validates our belief that strong relationships are the foundation of effective teaching and learning."
With strategies like greeting students at the door, creating social contracts, and nurturing trust and respect, Lakewood is showing what it means to lead in social-emotional learning and student engagement.
💙 Huge thanks to our teachers, staff, families, and students who make this community so special. We're proud to be part of a movement that proves: when you capture a child’s heart, you capture their mind. #LakewoodLeads #CapturingKidsHearts #DPSProud
🚀 Riverside High Named a Project Lead The Way Distinguished High School — Again! 🔧💻
For the 8th year in a row, Riverside High School has earned the Project Lead The Way Distinguished High School title — one of just 8 schools in North Carolina to receive it this year.
Even more impressive:
✅ Only school in the state offering both Engineering and Computer Science through PLTW
✅ One of just three schools in NC to win eight years straight
Huge shoutout to the powerhouse team behind it all: Adam Tokonitz, Jackie Brown, Mike Dibble, Ryan Patridge, Seth Stallings, and William Oakley — your commitment to delivering top-tier STEM education in a large public high school is what makes this recognition possible.
PLTW programs build real-world skills, spark innovation, and prepare students for whatever comes next. Riverside is proof of what’s possible when educators lead with purpose.
#STEMeducation #PLTW #RiversideHigh #DPSProud #WeAreDPS
🎉 Big News: Atticus Kenney Named Levine Scholar! 🎓
Riverside High School senior Atticus Kenney has been selected as one of just 20 students nationwide for the prestigious Levine Scholars Program at UNC Charlotte!
This elite honor—UNC Charlotte’s most competitive scholarship—recognizes academic excellence, leadership, and community impact. Atticus stood out among nearly 3,000 nominees from across the country to earn a spot in the Class of 2029.
The scholarship, worth up to $187,000, covers full tuition, housing, meals, summer experiences, and more—plus funding for civic and professional development.
👏 Join us in congratulating Atticus on this incredible achievement and future as a Levine Scholar!
#LevineScholars #UNCCharlotte #AtticusKenney #RiversideHigh #ScholarshipSuccess #FutureLeader #ClassOf2029
📣 On National Teacher Day, we’re proud to celebrate three incredible educators from Durham Public Schools named to the 2025–26 Kenan Fellows Program cohort!
👏 Congratulations to:
🔹 Alexis Moore – Ignite! Online Academy
🔹 Myriama Smith Traore – C.E. Jordan High School
🔹 Nelly Coba Basile – Sherwood Githens Middle School
They are among just 30 teachers statewide selected through a rigorous process for this prestigious, yearlong fellowship—designed to connect educators with industry and strengthen teaching through real-world experience.
Through immersive summer externships and capstone projects, Fellows explore career pathways, workplace skills, and industry challenges—all to bring powerful learning back to their students. They also receive leadership training, professional development, and a $5,000 stipend to support their work.
This is a major honor and a big win for our schools, our students, and our community. 🌟
Read more: https://kenanfellows.org/2025/05/06/national-teacher-day/
#KenanFellows #NationalTeacherDay #DPSProud #WeAreDPS
🌟 Congratulations to Erica McRae – MTSS Facilitator of the Year! 🌟
We’re proud to celebrate Ms. Erica McRae, MTSS Facilitator at Little River Elementary, for being named MTSS Facilitator of the Year! 🎉
Ms. McRae earned this honor for her outstanding leadership in implementing a strong, responsive Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) that supports students’ academic, behavioral, social-emotional, and attendance needs. She’s also led the charge in integrating MTSS within the school’s Montessori model—a true testament to her skill and dedication.
Dr. Cory Hogans, Principal of Little River, says it best: “She’s an effective communicator and leader who keeps our MTSS team focused and responsive.”
Way to go, Ms. McRae! 👏
#MTSSFacilitatorOfTheYear #DPSProud #MTSS #WeAreDPS
📣 Big congrats to the Jordan High School FFA Envirothon Team for placing 2nd in the state among FFA teams at the State Envirothon held at Cedarock Park in Burlington, NC! 🌿🌎
Shoutout to these environmental champs:
🌲 Lila Christie – Forestry
🦌 Corinne Paul – Wildlife
💧 Alexandra Viray – Aquatics
🌱 Adriel Hernandez-Rivas – Soils
🌍 McKenzie “Zie” Hatley – Current Environmental Issues
Way to represent Jordan High with knowledge and passion! 💪💚 #Envirothon #FFA #DPSProud #WeAreDPS
🚀🌱 Big congrats to Hillside High School students Hajira Syed and Dallas Mejia! 🌟
They’ve earned Honorable Mention in the 2025 Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision STEM Project for their innovative work on AstroGel — a smart hydrogel designed to help plants grow in space. As we look to the future of space exploration, their project highlights the importance of sustainable farming beyond Earth. 🛰️🌿
We’re proud of their creativity, passion, and commitment to solving real-world challenges!
📸 Check out the full list of honorees: https://www.exploravision.org/exploravision-2025-honorable-mentions/
#WeAreDPS #DPSProud #STEM #ExploraVision
🎉 Fantastic news from Jordan High!
We’re thrilled to share that Devak Coltrane, a senior at Jordan High School, has been awarded the prestigious Morehead-Cain Scholarship—the only recipient from Durham Public Schools this year!
This incredible achievement reflects Devak’s hard work, leadership, and dedication. We couldn’t be prouder! 👏💙
🔗 Learn more about the Morehead-Cain Class of 2029:
https://www.moreheadcain.org/blog/introducing-the-morehead-cain-class-of-2029/
#DPSProud #JordanHigh #MoreheadCainScholar #WeAreDPS
🎉 It’s Teacher Appreciation Week at Durham Public Schools! 🍎💙
This week, we honor the dedicated educators who shape minds, build confidence, and create a lasting impact in our schools and communities.
Throughout the week, we’ll be highlighting our school-level Teachers of the Year—outstanding individuals who go above and beyond for their students every day.
Stay tuned right here as we celebrate their passion, commitment, and the powerful role they play in every child's future.
#ThankATeacher #DPSProud #TeacherAppreciationWeek #WeAreDPS
A day to remember at Lakewood Elementary! 🏫✨
We were proud to welcome Dr. Karrie G. Dixon, Chancellor of North Carolina Central University, for a powerful “Conversation with Dr. Dixon.”
Her inspiring remarks, the Lakewood Choir’s performance, and special appearances by the NCCU Champagne Cheerleaders and Eddie the Eagle made it an unforgettable celebration of community and education. 🦅🎶
To honor her leadership and commitment to students, Dr. Dixon was awarded a key to Lakewood Elementary School — a symbol of our gratitude and partnership. 🔑❤️
Thank you to everyone who made today so special.
#NCCU #LakewoodProud #WeAreDPS #CommunityStrong
✨ This morning, community leaders and supporters joined Crayons2Calculators and the DPS Foundation for a special Open House—and the energy was incredible!
Guests enjoyed breakfast, connected with fellow partners in education, and toured the C2C Warehouse and Teacher Store. One of the highlights? Getting hands-on by fulfilling real school supply orders—experiencing firsthand how their support directly equips Durham Public Schools educators.
When we come together, we make a real impact. Thank you to everyone who showed up and continues to invest in our students and schools. 💛📚
#DPSProud #Crayons2Calculators #DPSFoundation #SupportOurTeachers #CommunityInAction #DurhamSchools
