Rockingham County Education Foundation

04/04/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: April 3, 2026

Trails K12 Returns This Spring with Trail-Based Field Trips for Rockingham County Schools

ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, NC — Most field trips take students outside their community. Trails K12 does the opposite. The Resilient Trails Network program is designed to help Rockingham County students develop a real sense of the place where they live.

Place-based education research shows that when children know their own landscape deeply, they are more likely to become engaged citizens and stewards of that place as adults.

The program returned to action recently when second graders
from Leaksville-Spray Elementary School spent the day on the Chinqua Penn Walking Trail in Wentworth. They left with gravel dust on their shoes and a story to tell.

Trails K12 was founded by the Rockingham County Education Foundation (RCEF) and transferred to Resilient Trails Network in 2025, ensuring the program could continue and expand as RCEF underwent strategic realignment. The partnership reflects a shared commitment to getting Rockingham County students on local trails.

The Chinqua Penn Walking Trail is the kind of place that does half the teaching on its own. Located on NC State University's Upper Piedmont Research Station, where traditional farm practices mesh with cutting-edge agricultural research, the land was once the Chinqua-Penn Plantation, a working farm of 1,000 acres owned by Betsy and Jeff Penn in the first half of the twentieth century.

These days, the trail is maintained by volunteers with Friends of Chinqua Penn Walking Trail.

Visitors are surrounded by wildlife, working farmland, and history. The trail follows farm roads and carriage paths dating to the 1920s, winds through old-growth forest and stands of bamboo planted by Betsy Penn, and passes stone structures built from locally quarried rock more than a century ago. Boardwalks cross streams and ponds, leading to a thirty-foot rock dam and waterfall. In nearby pastures, cattle graze, descendants of Jeff Penn's prized Black Angus herd from the 1940s.

Volunteers with Friends of Chinqua Penn Walking Trail led students on a guided treasure hunt of natural features along the trail. Afterward, students gathered for a storytelling workshop developed and led by the Rockingham County Arts Council, built around the monarch butterfly, her life cycle, her journey, and the friends she meets along the way.

The teachers and staff of Leaksville-Spray made it all possible, keeping 45 second graders engaged and giving volunteers the space to do their best work.

The storytelling workshop reflects the Rockingham County Arts Council's growing investment in place-based arts programming.

This spring, RCAC is launching a new countywide program in which students will collectively write the stories of fairies who live along a community trail in western Rockingham County. A local artist is being sought to translate those stories into permanent installations along the trail. The monarch butterfly workshop was a first step toward that work.

Resilient Trails Network intends to fund future Trails K12 field trips through proceeds of sales at Second Summit Outdoor Gear Thrift, grants, and donations.

Second Summit, located at Basecamp, 101 East Main Street in Mayodan, is just getting started and actively seeking donations of gently used outdoor gear to build its initial inventory. To make a donation to Second Summit or support Trails K12 field trips, visit www.theresilienttrailsnetwork.org.

Schools interested in scheduling a Trails K12 field trip this spring should contact Resilient Trails Network at www.theresilienttrailsnetwork.org or (336) 339-6169.

Resilient Trails Network builds professionally designed trails on school campuses and public lands across the North Carolina Piedmont, connecting communities through trail access, education, and stewardship.

Photo: Second graders from Leaksville-Spray Elementary School at the Penn Summer House on the Chinqua Penn Walking Trail, Wentworth, NC. Pictured with students, left to right: Jerry Snyder, Brooke Rhodes, Susana Martinez, Zaria Moore, and Aleia Knight. Not pictured: Amanda Ramey, teacher; Jan Bellard, Pat Hill, and Steve Planson, Friends of Chinqua Penn Walking Trail; and Jenny Edwards, Resilient Trails Network and Rockingham County Arts Council. Basecamp Rockingham County Education Foundation Rockingham County Schools Visit Rockingham County, North Carolina

03/19/2026

Pause. Reconnect With Purpose. Strengthen Your Impact. at the Center for Creative Leadership

Leadership in the social sector is meaningful, but it’s also demanding. Many leaders carry responsibility that is both deeply personal and widely felt, often without much space to pause and reflect.

This gathering is designed for nonprofit, philanthropic, public health, education, and community leaders who want time to step back, reconnect with purpose, and strengthen their capacity to move forward.

Learn more and register via the following link. https://web.cvent.com/event/590f99d4-aacf-4c5f-b45e-0e17481280f5/summary

03/09/2026

Supporting Rockingham County nonprofits through grants and locally-led philanthropy. Partner with your local affiliate community foundation for greater impact.

01/08/2026

Exciting news from Rockingham County Partnership for Children!

The Board of Directors of the Rockingham County Partnership for Children (RCPC) has selected Qena Dodd Jennings, M.Ed, as the next Executive Director for the organization.

Capability Company Consulting led the agency’s E.D. search, along with Board Chair Terrica Williams and the RCPC Search Committee. The top candidates participated in a comprehensive interview process that provided the hiring committee with an opportunity to learn more about each candidate’s skills and experience. When interviewed, it was apparent that Qena Dodd Jennings presented as the top candidate.

Mrs. Jennings is Rockingham County native and comes with a strong background in strategic planning, system-level change work, community partnerships, fundraising, and board engagement.

She is an early childhood advocate and champion with strong background knowledge in Conscious Discipline, early literacy, and preschool. She has vast leadership knowledge and experience that will be beneficial for RCPC and the Rockingham County early childhood community. Qena is recognized as a collaborative and innovative leader who guides with vision, strategy, and empathy.

Qena joins the team at Partnership for Children with enthusiasm and passion. She obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary/Early Childhood Education from UNC-Chapel Hill and her Master of Education in Language and Literacy from Harvard Graduate School of Education. Qena is married to Dr. Michael Jennings and is a mother of three wonderful children, Ryan, Kaden, and Addison. RCPC is excited to have Qena as the new Executive Director.

10/01/2025

We are excited to embark on a search for our next Executive Director. This important role works in close partnership with the Board to lead our organization as we work in close partnership with our community. Please share the posting below with colleagues and connections to help us build a strong applicant pool and identify the best candidate.

Rockingham County Partnership for Children (RCPC) builds key learning and development opportunities for children under five, by leading programs and partnering with educators, families and the community. RCPC is a public, private non-profit organization, which administers Smart Start funds and services for children aged birth through five and their families in Rockingham County. We fund a variety of programs to ensure children enter school prepared to reach their full potential.

To continue this mission, RCPC seeks an Executive Director to serve as the chief executive and mission champion for the organization, overseeing program coordination and evaluation, community relations, personnel management, fiscal integrity, and compliance with all rules and regulations regarding the Partnership’s financial and programmatic activities.

To apply: http://www.capabilitycompany.com/posprofiles/posrockinghamed.shtm

08/12/2025

Congratulations to our friends at Resilient Trails Network! We are so excited to see this work move forward and hope you'll take the opportunity to join their public input meeting.

We’re building something big — and we want you to help shape it.

Join us for a Public Input Meeting to talk about the future of trails at Farris Memorial Park, including a proposed 1-mile hiking and biking trail and the 4.8 miles of new trail already funded through the Great Trails State Program. Together, these projects will bring us close to 10 miles of connected trails. This is a huge step toward making Farris Memorial Park a year-round destination for outdoor recreation and exploration for people of all ages.

This growing trail system will also be part of the Trails K12 family through the Resilient Trails Network. Trails K12 is an initiative to get more kids outside, more often, by partnering with teachers and schools. These trails won’t just be for weekend adventures; they’ll be places where students can learn, explore, and build lifelong connections to the outdoors.

Trails K12 was founded by the Rockingham County Education Foundation, RoundRock Design, and made possible with early support from Reidsville Area Foundation

Bring your ideas, your energy, and your vision for the future of trails at Farris Memorial Park.

04/21/2025

Come learn more about how the budget is made, what’s being proposed, and how you can get involved THIS WEDNESDAY.
RSVP HERE: https://us06web.zoom.us/.../reg.../91VuQR1ISUCqNgHxqdAQyQ...
Most of the funding for our public schools comes from the state, and our elected officials are currently working on the budget for the next two years!
Hosted through a collaboration between Parents for Public Schools, Rockingham County Schools, NC 100, Rockingham County Education Foundation, and Reidsville Area Foundation

You are invited!

Come learn more (virtually) about :

1. How are Public School budgets created

2. What’s being proposed, and;

3. How you can get involved-THIS WEDNESDAY.

RSVP HERE: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/91VuQR1ISUCqNgHxqdAQyQ #/registration

Most of the funding for our public schools comes from the state, and our elected officials are currently working on the budget for the next two years!

Hosted through a collaboration between Parents for Public Schools, Rockingham County Schools, NC 100, Rockingham County Education Foundation, and Reidsville Area Foundation.

04/21/2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 21, 2025

Rockingham County Education Foundation Appoints Dr. Mark Kinlaw as Interim Executive Director

The Rockingham County Education Foundation (RCEF) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Mark Kinlaw as its Interim Executive Director, effective May 1, 2025. Dr. Kinlaw brings more than 40 years of experience in North Carolina’s education system and most recently served as President of Rockingham Community College (RCC) for ten years.

As Interim Executive Director, Dr. Kinlaw will lead RCEF through a strategic realignment of its goals and programs to more closely support the priorities of the Rockingham County Board of Education and ensure that RCEF’s efforts are well positioned to meet the needs of students, educators, and the broader school community.

“Dr. Kinlaw brings steady leadership and a deep understanding of education in Rockingham County,” said William Gregg, Chair of the RCEF Board of Directors. “We welcome his ability to guide the foundation through this next phase with thoughtfulness and purpose.”

During his tenure at RCC, Dr. Kinlaw led several major workforce development initiatives, helping ensure that Rockingham County had the skilled talent necessary to attract and retain high-quality, well-paying jobs. His leadership helped position the college as a key driver of local economic development.

“I’m honored to serve in this interim capacity with RCEF,” said Dr. Kinlaw. “This is a pivotal time for the foundation as it aligns more intentionally with the goals of our public school system. I look forward to building on RCEF’s strong legacy by working alongside educators and community leaders to support student success and readiness for the opportunities ahead.”

“It’s been an honor to serve everyone who works in our schools as they nurture possibility in Rockingham County’s young people,” said Jenny Edwards, outgoing Executive Director. “I believe deeply in the role public education plays in helping every child thrive. I’m confident that under Dr. Kinlaw’s leadership, the foundation will continue to play an important role in supporting schools and the broader community.”

Dr. Kinlaw succeeds Jenny Edwards, who has served as RCEF’s Executive Director since 2020. Edwards is stepping down to serve as Executive Director of the Resilient Trails Network, a Rockingham County–based nonprofit focused on funding and building trails and parks in rural North Carolina.

“Jenny has been a passionate advocate for public education and a tireless community builder,” said Gregg. “We are deeply grateful for her leadership and wish her the very best as she continues her work to connect people and communities through outdoor spaces.”

With Dr. Kinlaw’s guidance, RCEF enters a new chapter focused on deepening its connection with district priorities, strengthening collaboration with educators, and supporting initiatives that equip students for success in school, work, and life.

Media Contact:
William Gregg, RCEF Board Chair
Email: [email protected]