Smart Start Honors Wayne and Watauga County Early Childhood Champions | Smart Start & The North Carolina Partnership for Children

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Smart Start Honors Wayne and Watauga County Early Childhood Champions

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Wayne County’s Bill Batts and Watauga County’s David Jackson Recieve the 2026 Karen W. Ponder Leadership Award

Greensboro, NC — The North Carolina Partnership for Children (NCPC) recognized William “Bill” R. Batts Receive and David Jackson as recipients of the 2026 Karen W. Ponder Leadership Award during the closing luncheon of the 2026 Smart Start Conference in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Established to honor exceptional leadership and dedication to young children and families, the Karen W. Ponder Leadership Award recognizes individuals who demonstrate innovation, collaboration, and a deep commitment to strengthening early childhood systems across North Carolina.

The awards were presented in person by Karen W. Ponder, former President of the North Carolina Partnership for Children, whose leadership helped shape and strengthen the Smart Start Network. Ponder also established funding for the award to continue recognizing leaders making a meaningful impact in communities across the state.

Bill Batts was nominated by the Partnership for Children of Wayne County in recognition of his longstanding commitment to children, families, and the early childhood community.

“Bill’s leadership has been instrumental in sustaining high-quality early care and education in Wayne County,” said Valerie Wallace, Partnership for Children of Wayne County. “His dedication to children, families, and providers has strengthened our local system in lasting ways, and we are proud to see him recognized statewide.”

Batts serves as Vice President of Small World Child Care Center and as Treasurer with the Partnership for Children of Wayne County. He is widely respected for his leadership in sustaining high-quality early learning and supporting families through stable, community-rooted child care.

Through his work, Batts has helped strengthen collaboration among child care providers, local leaders, and community organizations while contributing to statewide conversations on workforce challenges and early care and education quality.

David Jackson was nominated by the Children’s Council of Watauga County in recognition of his leadership and commitment to advancing early childhood and community well-being in the High Country region.

“David has consistently elevated early childhood as essential to both economic vitality and community well-being,” said Elisha Childers, Children’s Council of Watauga County. “His leadership has strengthened partnerships across sectors and made a real difference for children, families, and providers in our region.”

Jackson serves as President and CEO of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce and has been recognized for his work strengthening cross-sector collaboration and advancing early childhood initiatives, including support for the Early Childhood Education and Development Fund in Watauga County. He also played a key role in coordinating child care recovery efforts for Watauga County following Hurricane Helene, which included driving local philanthropic dollars to help cover tuition for families in local, licensed child care programs during the month after the storm, which kept enabled centers to pay their staff and keep their doors open in the aftermath of the storm. In response to the federal shut down in the fall of 2025, which caused disruption to child care subsidy payment to child care providers, worked with local philanthropists to raise and deliver stabilization payments to every licensed child care center and afterschool program in Watauga County – a move that help keep child care providers financially viable.

“Bill and David represent the very best of the Smart Start Network and the broader early childhood community,” said Amy Cubbage. “Their leadership, collaboration, and dedication to children and families continue to make a lasting impact in communities across North Carolina.”

In recognition of their leadership, each honoree received the Karen W. Ponder Leadership Award. In addition, each Local Partnership that nominated a recipient received a $1,000 award to further support local early childhood work.

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