WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - The YWCA Lower Cape Fear has announced a two-day summer workshop to empower local girls and build their confidence, creativity and life skills.
Various workshops and presentations will be held for girls ages 8-18 through the 'Little Women of Excellence: The Beauty Boot Camp.'
President and CEO of YWCA Lower Cape Fear, Velva Jenkins, and Founder of Little Women of Excellence, Shereese Cromartie, visited the WECT studio to discuss the camp.
Cromartie says that she started in the program in 2016.
“I wanted to share my skills and trades with other people in the community that may be not that fortunate to have that experience and bring some of the people that I met in my walk and my journey into their lives,” Cromartie said.
Jenkins says that the camp aligns perfectly with the YWCA’s mission to empower women and girls.
Workshops include the following:
Presentations include ‘Staying Aware, Staying SafeGirls’ and ‘Growing Healthy Relationships.’
Kandace Blanks will be the keynote speaker at the workshop.
The event will take place on Friday, July 25 and Saturday, July 26 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the GLOW Academy.
Registration costs $10 per participant, with 25% off when registering two or more girls. Breakfast, lunch, and snacks will be provided.
Date: July 18, 2025
Copyright 2025 WECT. All rights reserved.
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - Hopefully you had a wonderful Mother’s Day weekend and were able to spend Sunday with your mom (or at least make a phone call). While my own mother is back in West Virginia and inevitably trying to figure out how to use the gift I sent her, Mother Nature gave the attendees of the “Cape Fear Wine + Food Experience” its own gift on Saturday afternoon (no rain!).
While sprinkles and showers came down on Saturday morning and evening, it held out just long enough for people to enjoy a wide array of exceptional food and wine at Wilmington’s GLOW Academy. Saturday’s “Grand Tasting and Grand Auction” was the culminating event for a weekend of fun and fundraising for Beacon Education and its GLOW and Spark Academies.
Plenty of winemakers from the Russian River Valley and Sonoma County were on hand to share a variety of styles and vintages. Some of those included Kobler Estate Winery, Bucher, Adobe Road Winery, and a handful of others.
As for food, there was a selection of restaurants and caterers sharing some mouthwatering eats. The Bridge Tender Restaurant offered its delicious Crab Dip and New England Clam Chowder (it’s one of the best in town).
Wrightsville Beach’s King Neptune supplied its take on the classic Summer Strawberry Salad, and brought along Wagyu Meatballs with chimichurri, pepitas, parmesan, and fried herbs. I could have ate what they had on hand but knew there was much more try.
The Kitchen Sink, Pine Valley Market, and Wilmington’s Pipeline Poke all had various dishes to try. Pipeline’s “Lava Flow Poke” live up to its name each bite delivered a rush of heat and flavor.
One of the more memorable dishes was a “Beef Tartare Shooter” from True Blue. Pieces of New York strip steak were covered in Dijon, shallot, egg yolk sauce, and caperberries. Put it all together, and it was a delight to the senses.
I don’t think anyone could argue the real culinary showstopper of the event was Wilmington caterer “Cannoli of Love.” The creation of Jessica Coppola, who says her passion for cooking for family and friends eventually led to her starting her own business, Cannoli of Love displayed some serious eats. Crab or Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms, Spinach and Artichoke Dip, Steak Garlic Knot Sliders, cannoli, and a real crowd favorite, Deviled Eggs with crispy prosciutto on top. They could hardly keep up with the amount of people picking off their various bites, and for good reason, Coppola’s crew knocked it out of the park.
As for the event itself, the “Cape Fear Wine + Food Experience” is a major fundraiser for Beacon Education and its GLOW and Spark Academies. A day of great food and drink ended with a spectacular auction with the proceeds going to support the schools. If you’re a serious wine enthusiast, and want to enjoy some fantastic eats as well, I highly recommend attending this special event next year.
Author: Corey Preece
Date: May 12, 2025
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Students at the Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington (GLOW Academy) got to take part in the ‘Extreme Weather Project’ which partners the 7th grade science department with the digital media program.
Students were placed in groups and each group consisted of two news anchors, one meteorologist at the green screen, and one on-site reporter who is typically surrounded by special effects to make it look like they’re on the scene.
The students each wrote a script and were able to record their segment in the digital media studio that was built a couple years ago using the donations from the Sony Global Social Justice Fund.
Chief Meteorologist Lee Haywood and Meteorologist Summer Trolli went to the school on Monday and gave the students advice on their presentations and scripts.
The digital media teacher, Michael Frederick enjoys watching the girls have fun while they learn.
“This is a really fun, interactive project the girls are getting to work on a lot of skills. There’s a lot of soft skills like public speaking, group work, critical thinking, collaboration. It is just fun for them to get up, be active, and learn about traditional school material in a nontraditional manor,” Frederick said.
Frederick adds this is their third year of the ‘Extreme Weather Project’ and each year they try to add a little more to make it more fun.
Author: Summer Trolli
Date: November 18, 2024
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - It’s an accomplishment of a new level when an entire class is accepted into college. That’s the reality for the 2024 graduating class of Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington (GLOW).
“The fact that we get all of them to be accepted to college, it’s a momentous occasion for us,” GLOW’s Dean of Students Askia Kirby said. “We always say we never leave a sister behind and we truly mean that. When somebody is falling behind whether it’s in academics or at home, we all step in to support and help.”
Besides 100% of the students being accepted into universities, 75% of the students will also be the first in their families to go to college.
“It means so much because as parents, as family members, we always say we want our children to do better than we did,” Kirby said. “These children are doing that. They’re laying the legacy their parents have set for them and moving forward and going off to school.”
One of those first-generation college students is Valery Montes Cruz. She wasn’t always sure college would be in the cards for her.
“Before I started at GLOW I honestly had no idea what I wanted to do with my life or how I could even afford college,” Cruz said. “They inspired me to pursue things that I wouldn’t think to pursue before coming to this school.”
Not only did Cruz get accepted to college, but she earned a full-ride scholarship to Elon University. Combined, the students earned $1.6 million in merit scholarships to various colleges and universities.
“I feel like it’s because of all the support and all of the encouragement that we get here,” Cruz said.
Like most of the parents at graduation, Cruz’s mom Amelia was beaming with pride.
“I know she’s a smart girl, I know she can do it,” Amelia Cruz said. “I don’t know what else to say, I’m just so proud of her.”
Kirby said he wasn’t surprised at all when he heard of Cruz’s big achievement.
“For her to get a full-ride, you want to say ‘I’m shocked,’ but I’m not when you have such a wonderful student that is always representing herself, her family, her school well,” Kirby said. “It just seemed like it was going to happen.”
Cruz said she’ll forever be thankful to the school for making her realize all of her biggest dreams were within her reach.
“What makes my story unique is I didn’t really think I would make it. Just being here, finding my community, finding my teachers, finding people who support and encourage me every day instead of bringing me down,” Cruz said. “It’s going to be kind of scary because I’ve been here for so long. I don’t know how everything else will be, but I’m excited to take this new step.”
This was GLOW’s second class of graduates since the founders opened the doors in 2016 with a class of sixth-grade students. WECT’s Frances Weller was the keynote speaker at the 2024 commencement ceremony.
Copyright 2024 WECT. All rights reserved.
WILMINGTON — The annual celebrity chef fundraisers that take place for Beacon Education — a nonprofit foundation providing equitable education to students from six weeks to high school — will take place next March. Celebrity chef Bobby Flay will be in attendance.
Flay will cook for patrons on March 7 and 8 in a private home and at the Country Club of Landfall, as part of Beacon’s ninth year hosting the galas.
Also new to the 2024 fundraiser will be the Cape Fear Wine & Food Experience, involving multiple community dinners on Thursday, March 7, with a grand tasting and auction on Saturday, March 9. It provides the dining public more opportunities to participate in food-forward events, with a schedule to be released at a later date.
Funds raised help support the Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington, North Carolina’s only single-gender and tuition-free public charter middle and high school located on Sunglow Drive. GLOW was founded by Judy Girard, formerly the president of the Food Network from 1994 to 2004. Girard spearheaded the celebrity chef events to help meet the school’s goal to provide girls from low-income, underserved communities access to high-quality education.
GLOW opened in 2016 with a grade sixth class and has added grades each year, with the charter school hosting its first graduating class in 2023. Ninety-six percent of its students enrolled in college.
In 2021, the foundation that runs GLOW announced its newest iteration: Spark Academy. It’s a co-ed and mixed-income early childhood education center, for ages six weeks through pre-Kindergarten. Spark plans to open its first location this October — one of five to come. Each center can house roughly 150 students and it will have a community healthcare clinic onsite.
Over the last decade, Beacon Education has hosted multiple celebrity chef fundraisers — which account for 10% of operating expenses. It has featured events in-person and virtually with Rachael Ray, Guy Fieri, Robert Irvine, Tyler Florence, Ashley Christensen, Giada DeLaurentiis, Ina Garten, and Emeril Lagasse. Lagasse’s foundation invested in GLOW Academy’s culinary program.
It’s Flay’s first visit to Wilmington. The 17-time published author has been honored by the James Beard Awards Foundation and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, as well as five Daytime Emmy Awards. He’s best known as for programs on Food Network, such as “Bobby’s Triple Threat,” “Beat Bobby Flay,” “BBQ Brawl,” “Bobby & Sophie on the Coast,” and “Iron Chef America.”
Bobby Flay is an award-winning chef, restaurateur, cookbook author and media personality. He's opened numerous upscale restaurants in New York City and beyond, the first of which was the renowned Mesa Grill in 1991. In December of 2023, Bobby opened Brasserie B at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. This restaurant celebrates bustling Parisian brasseries, serving classic French dishes with tons of the impactful flavor that Flay has become known for. Brasserie B is directly next door to Bobby's coastal Italian-inspired restaurant at Caesars Palace called Amalfi. In addition to his fine dining restaurants, there are seven outposts of Bobby's fast-casual concept, Bobby’s Burgers, across the country, with more set to open later this year.
“Beacon Education has cultivated a reputation for outstanding wine and food experiences,” according to a press release from the foundation.
It also has a supper club, Rare, curating specialized events for food enthusiast members.
Tickets will be available later in the fall for Flay’s visit.
8thannual celebrity chef events scheduled for February 9 and 10, 2023
Wilmington, NC – August 9, 2022 – Beacon Education, the nonprofit foundation committed to equitable access to high quality education, has announced plans for its 8th Annual Celebrity Chef Events on February 9 and 10, 2023. Emeril Lagasse and Rachael Ray will be the featured celebrity chefs for the foundation’s full schedule of events, including an intimate, limited-seating dinner on February 9, a gourmet breakfast and a four-course luncheon on February 10. The dinner will be hosted at a private residence with the breakfast and luncheon held at Landfall Country Club. Beacon Education, formerly GLOW NC and supporting the Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington, has broadened its mission to provide earlier and more equitable access to high quality education. The foundation is working to open Spark Academy, the first of several co-ed and mixed-income early childhood education centers, in Summer 2023. The celebrity chef events will support both GLOW Academy and Spark Academy.
This will be Emeril Lagasse’s fourth visit to Wilmington and the first for Rachael Ray. Chef Lagasse, a longtime friend of GLOW Academy Founder Judy Girard, was the first celebrity chef to headline the culinary events for GLOW in 2015, prior to the school’s opening in 2016. Chef Lagasse inspired GLOW Academy’s robust culinary curriculum and the Emeril Lagasse Foundation recently contributed to an expansion of that program, provisioning a middle school classroom for teaching foundational kitchen prep, safety and cooking skills. Rachael Ray, a winner of three Daytime Emmy Awards, hosts the syndicated daily talk and lifestyle show Rachael Ray, and the Food Network series 30 Minute Meals. In 2007, she launched Yum-o!®, a nonprofit organization that empowers kids and their families to develop healthy relationships with food and cooking.
In the years since Chef Lagasse’s first GLOW appearance, Giada DeLaurentiis, Guy Fieri, Tyler Florence, Robert Irvine and Ashley Christensen have led the culinary line up. For more information about sponsorships, contact Beacon Education Development Director Andrea Carter at acarter@beaconeducation.org.
ABOUT GLOW ACADEMY:
The Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington is North Carolina's only single gender public charter school. The school opened in August, 2016, with its inaugural sixth grade class, adding a new sixth grade each successive academic year. With a focus on providing a single-sex educational choice for students from predominately underserved communities who are often the first in their families to attend college, the 6th thru 12th grade school is part of a nationwide network of 19 groundbreaking and successful single-gender schools. This Young Women’s Leadership Network is guided by a proven educational model
focused on academic rigor, personal responsibility, leadership and college preparedness. At GLOW Academy, she will: graduate, go to college and succeed in life. For more information about GLOW Academy, visit www.glowacademy.net or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GlowAcademy1/
ABOUT SPARK ACADEMY Spark Academy, opening in July, 2023, will be the first of several early childhood education schools providing high quality programming for children six weeks through pre-kindergarten. The co-ed, mixed income program will offer sliding scale scholarships for families in need and provide proven, high-quality educational programming to draw families with financial means. Each center will accommodate approximately 150 students and have a community healthcare clinic onsite. For more information visit https://sparkacademync.com/
Chef Lagasse will visit GLOW campus to unveil sign bearing Foundation’s name on February 9, 11:00 AM
Tickets still available for Breakfast with Emeril Lagasse and Rachael Ray, Feb 10
Wilmington, NC – January 25, 2023 -- The Emeril Lagasse Foundation has granted the Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington, GLOW Academy, $500 thousand to support the school’s culinary classroom and curriculum. The gift officially names GLOW’s expansive teaching kitchen the Emeril Lagasse Foundation Culinary Lab and will cover the costs of culinary faculty, food costs and operations for three years. GLOW’s culinary lab is built as a commercial kitchen, allowing students to learn essential culinary skills, kitchen management, menu planning and food preparation. Chef Lagasse will visit the campus on February 9 at 11:00 AM to unveil a new sign bearing the Foundation’s name.
On February 10th, he, together with Rachael Ray, will appear at the annual GLOW Chef Event, featuring the two celebrities. Tickets for breakfast are $250 and include a champagne breakfast and theater style seating for the culinary demonstration, fireside chat and Q & A with Chefs Lagasse, Ray and the students.
“Alden (Chef Lagasse’s wife) and I are so excited for our foundation to invest in the culinary lab at GLOW and to support the vision of our longtime friend Judy Girard,” said Chef Lagasse. The gift reflects Chef Lagasse’s continued engagement with the school and his devotion to Ms. Girard, GLOW Academy founder and president of the Food Network from 1994 to 2004. Earlier this year the Emeril Lagasse Foundation gave $40,000 to GLOW for transitioning a middle school classroom into one that supports an introduction to GLOW’s robust culinary program.
Chef Lagasse was the first celebrity chef to host what have become well-established fundraisers for GLOW, each featuring a Food Network star.
"There is so much need to reach kids outside of the traditional classroom. When young people learn to prepare meals for themselves and their families, they gain independence and self-confidence --important skills no matter what they do in life,” said Brian Kish, president of the Emeril Lagasse Foundation.
Todd Godbey, president and CEO of Beacon Education, GLOW’s supporting foundation added, “Like so many things related to GLOW, our culinary program grew organically in a way that we never planned. Emeril’s generosity and involvement in our first major fundraiser set the tone for a what has become a signature program on campus and in the community. We are humbled by his support and legacy.”
About Emeril Lagasse Foundation: Founded in 2002 by Chef Emeril Lagasse and his wife Alden, Emeril Lagasse Foundation is a 501c(3) public charity headquartered in New Orleans. The Foundation's mission is to create opportunities to inspire, mentor and enable youth to reach their full potential through culinary, nutrition, and arts education with a focus on life skills development. Since its inception, Emeril Lagasse Foundation has granted more than $18.5 million to children's charities to support culinary, nutrition, and arts programs. The Foundation accomplishes this through three programs. The Community Grants program provides program and capital support to nonprofit organizations across the nation. The signature program, Emeril’s Culinary Garden & Teaching Kitchen, is a national education initiative created to enrich the lives of elementary and middle school children through a fun, fresh perspective on food. The Aarón Sánchez Impact Fund, the newest program, will provide culinary arts education and human services programming for Latino youth.
ABOUT GLOW ACADEMY: The Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington is North Carolina's only single gender public charter school. The school opened in August 2016, with its inaugural sixth grade class, adding a new sixth grade each successive academic year. With a focus on providing a single-sex educational choice for students from predominately underserved communities who are often the first in their families to attend college, the 6th thru 12th grade school is part of a nationwide network of 21 groundbreaking and successful single-gender schools. This Young Women’s Leadership Network is guided by a proven educational model focused on academic rigor, personal responsibility, leadership and college preparedness. At GLOW Academy, she will: graduate, go to college and succeed in life. For more information about GLOW Academy, visit www.glowacademy.net or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GlowAcademy1/
2023 marks first graduating class for North Carolina’s only single gender charter school
Wilmington, NC – January 12, 2023 -- The first graduating class of the Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington, GLOW Academy, has set a high bar for North Carolina’s only single gender charter school earning $1.7 million, and counting, in merit scholarships. The achievement, announced today at the school’s inaugural senior breakfast, was celebrated as an important measure of success for the school that opened in 2016 with a mission to provide a rigorous college preparatory curriculum for students from diverse backgrounds who are generally the first in their family to attend college. Seventy-two percent of GLOW’s Class of 2023, most of whom started at GLOW in the 6th grade, are first generation college attendees. The event was attended by GLOW’s senior class, GLOW Founder Judy Girard, GLOW faculty, student families, and supporters of the school. The announcement was made by Jahleese Hadley, GLOW Academy’s Director of College Access.
“The vision for GLOW has always been ‘She will graduate, go to college and succeed in life’,” said Ms. Hadley. “Our students have worked so hard; this is a tremendous moment and measure of their commitment and potential. We are so proud of them.” Ms. Hadley leads GLOW’s College Access program which includes college tours, visits from college admissions counselors, and one-on-one guidance throughout the middle and high school years to help students build a competitive college application. Importantly, GLOW’s College Access staff will continue to connect with graduates and offer support to assure social, emotional and academic achievement into their college years.
Financial need-based scholarships are still to be awarded; GLOW Academy’s enrollment is weighted for underserved communities, so this figure will be important for determining college attendance. Other measures of achievement thus far for GLOW’s Class of 2023 include:
OPEN ENROLLMENT NOW
GLOW Academy is now accepting applications for the 2023-2024 school year, for rising sixth through ninth grades. A free summer leadership camp will be available for a limited number of rising fifth grade girls in June. Breakfast, lunch, snacks and transportation are provided for free for GLOW Academy and its summer leadership camp. For more information about school enrollment or summer camp applications, visit glowacademy.net or call 910-338-5258.
ABOUT GLOW ACADEMY: The Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington is North Carolina's only single gender public charter school. The school opened in August 2016, with its inaugural sixth grade class, adding a new sixth grade each successive academic year. With a focus on providing a single-sex educational choice for students from predominately underserved communities who are often the first in their families to attend college, the 6th thru 12th grade school is part of a nationwide network of 21 groundbreaking and successful single-gender schools. This Young Women’s Leadership Network is guided by a proven educational model focused on academic rigor, personal responsibility, leadership and college preparedness. At GLOW Academy, she will: graduate, go to college and succeed in life. For more information about GLOW Academy, visit www.glowacademy.net or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GlowAcademy1/
Wilmington, NC – June 21, 2021 – Ken Lowe, a founding donor to the Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington, GLOW Academy, announced on Friday night a donation of $1 million to name a wing of the school after his 92-year-old mother, Barbara Love Lowe. Mr. Lowe, a former colleague and longtime friend of GLOW Academy Founder Judy Girard, acknowledged his mother’s “lifetime of caregiving through nursing in her rural community and then on to a second chapter of management in the banking industry,” as he made the gift to North Carolina’s only single gender charter school. The $1 million will support GLOW’s mission and names a wing of the school Lowe Hall in her honor. The donation was made as the school hosted its sixth annual Celebrity Chef Event, featuring Chef Robert Irvine, host of the Food Network’s Restaurant Impossible series, Chef Ashley Christensen, a two-time James Beard award winner from Raleigh, and included video and Zoom visits by Chefs Emeril Lagasse and Tyler Florence, respectively. More than 500 guests, including Mr. Lowe’s mother and family, attended the event which was hosted on GLOW Academy’s campus.
“I have admired the mission of GLOW Academy since my friend Judy Girard first committed to its founding in 2015. I have seen how these girls are thriving and are so enthusiastically supported by the Wilmington community,” Mr. Lowe said. “It is truly my privilege to honor my mother’s personal determination and commitment to education by naming a wing of GLOW Academy Lowe Hall.”Mr. Lowe also made a contribution to name a GLOW Academy classroom in memory of Dr. Steve Martin, a mentor to him and Ms. Girard during their years together at Scripps Network.
“Ken Lowe has always been a supporter of women and recognizes their value to any endeavor chosen. His mother obviously instilled in him those values which will now get passed on to every GLOW student thanks to Ken’s generous donation,” said Ms. Girard.
ABOUT GLOW ACADEMY:
The Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington is North Carolina's only single gender public charter school. The school opened in August, 2016, with its inaugural sixth grade class, adding a new sixth grade each successive academic year. The first class of students will graduate in the 2022/23 academic year. With a focus on providing a single-sex educational choice for students from predominately underserved communities who are often the first in their families to attend college, the 6th thru 12th grade school is part of a nationwide network of 16 groundbreaking and successful single-gender schools. This Young Women’s Leadership Network is guided by a proven educational model focused on academic rigor, personal responsibility, leadership and college preparedness. At GLOW Academy, she will: graduate, go to college and succeed in life. For more information about GLOW Academy, visit www.glowacademy.net or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GlowAcademy1/
80+ professional women to engage with GLOW students
Wednesday, February 23, 8:30 AM to Noon
On Wednesday, February 23, from 8:30 AM to Noon, GLOW Academy is hosting its 5th Cool Women Hot Jobs. This annual program offers GLOW students opportunities to engage with and learn from women who have pursued all-manner of career paths. GLOW Academy is North Carolina’s only single-gender public charter school, offering girls from diverse backgrounds a middle and high school curriculum that focuses on academic rigor, personal responsibility, leadership and college preparedness.
Some 80+ local women will visit GLOW classrooms, circulating through small groups and allowing students to have quality one-on-one encounters with professional women who have pursued careers in technology, pharmaceutical science, professional services, media and communications, healthcare, law enforcement, film production, public services and government, entrepreneurship and more. The encounters are largely random, allowing students to be introduced to fields they might never have considered.
ABOUT GLOW ACADEMY
The Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington, GLOW Academy, is one of 21 groundbreaking single-gender schools across the country that follow a proven educational model developed for girls from predominantly underserved communities who are often the first in their families to attend college. The sixth through twelfth grade school opened in 2016 with its inaugural sixth grade class which will graduate in the 2022/23 academic year.
WHAT: 5th Annual Cool Women Hot Jobs
WHEN: Wednesday, February 23, 2022, 8:30 to Noon
WHERE: GLOW Academy, 4100 Sunglow Drive, Wilmington
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Margee Herring
4100 Sunglow Drive, Wilmington, NC 28405
info@beaconeducation.org
910.338.5258 x105