Statewide
This scholarship was established in honor of The Honorable R. Phillip Haire who served Western North Carolina as a member of the House of Representatives in the General Assembly for fourteen years. His dedication to education is evidenced by his twelve-year service on the UNC Board of Governors and on the Board of Trustees of Western Carolina University. Undoubtedly, one of Representative Haire’s significant service contributions was in the area of education, specifically his appointment by then Governor Jim Hunt to the Public Education Commission whose study and research resulted in the formation and establishment of NCCAT. Increasing teacher effectiveness is fundamental to improving public education, and that is NCCAT’s function. The R. Phillip Haire Honored Educator Scholarship pays tribute to the legacy of an outstanding North Carolinian who spent his life finding ways to strengthen his community and public education for all children.