Speaker Joe Hackney donates $10,000 leadership prize to high school alma

Posted Thursday, February 28, 2008

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Money will help improve instruction, programs at Silk Hope

Silk Hope, NC - Speaker Joe Hackney has donated $10,000 in prize money to Silk Hope Elementary School to build an outdoor classroom and dining space and to purchase a new projector and screen.

Speaker Hackney grew up on a farm near Silk Hope and graduated from Silk Hope School in 1963, when it was a community school with grades 1-12. The last high school class from Silk Hope graduated in 1965.

"Silk Hope School played an important part in my life and in helping to make me a leader," Speaker Hackney said. "I think it's more than appropriate that I try to pass that gift on to the children who are there now."

Silk Hope is now an elementary school with 440 students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. The Speaker recently returned to the school to help celebrate its 100th anniversary.

Silk Hope Principal Janice Frazier said about $3,000 will be used to build a patio and add tables near the school's cafeteria. The patio will be used as an outdoor classroom and dining area.

The rest of the money, about $7,000, will be used to buy a screen and a projector for the school's multipurpose room. The room is used for school assemblies, meetings and programs.

"Speaker Hackney is a valued member of the Silk Hope family, and we are grateful for his generous gift," Frazier said. "The donation allows us to fund projects that will benefit our learning community for many years to come. We are fortunate that alumni like Speaker Hackney remain dedicated to Silk Hope School."

The prize money was given to Speaker Hackney to direct to the charity of his choice when he won the 2007 Excellence in State Legislative Leadership Award last July. The award is presented by the National Conference of State Legislatures and the State Legislative Leadership Foundation. An independent, non-partisan selection committee representing the conference and the foundation, in addition to journalists, former legislators and scholars, selects the winner of the Excellence in State Legislative Leadership each year.

Speaker Hackney was first elected to the legislature in 1980 and represents Chatham, Orange and Moore counties. He was elected Speaker in January 2007.

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