About Me

I am Founder and President of the Board of Directors of Wake Forest Charter Academy, a K-8 Tuition-Free Public Charter School established in 2014: a lifelong dream as a little girl of 7 years old who loved numbers, going to school, and emulating her teachers at home while teaching her siblings during breaks away from school.

 

The school is dedicated in honor of my parents, the late Rev. Dr. Wavie Riley Alston and Minnie Slade Alston. They instilled in all their eight (8) children that the key to success is to get our high school diploma and graduate from college or a university and serve the community by volunteering in many areas of need.

WFCA is located at 1851 Friendship Chapel Rd., Wake Forest, NC. We opened August 20, 2014, with students in grades K-5 and now serve K-8.Visit us at www.wakeforestca.org. 

 

Additionally, I am Founder and First Board President Emerita of my second Tuition-Free Public Charter School, Wake Preparatory Academy, K-12, located at 14111 Capital Blvd., Wake Forest, NC which opened August 29, 2022 in Franklin County.  www.wakeprep.org

 

I was appointed by the NC former Governor Pat McCrory to serve on the State Charter Schools Advisory Board, 2015-2017 and was approved by the NC General Assembly.

 

Former NC Speaker of the House, Tim Moore appointed me to serve two (2) more terms on the State Charter Schools Advisory/Review Board 2020-2021 and 2021-2025. The NC General Assembly also approved me for these terms.

Consequently, the current Speaker of the House Destin Hall appointed me to serve another term of 2025-2027.

 

I am a "retired on paper and still wired" educator. I taught middle school mathematics for 28 years in private and traditional public schools. When I retired from education in 2013 to found my first school, I served as a Curriculum Specialist for 4.5 years. The only course I ever failed is "retirement"!

 

I became a member of Delta Kappa Gamma Society Int'l for Key Women Educators, an honorary Society since April 17, 2010 as a member in the Gamma Tau Chapter, Franklin County and served as its president 2012-2014. I am now a member of the Gamma Theta Chapter, Raleigh since 2018.

 

I served as NC DKG's state Recording Secretary, 2015-2017, state 2nd Vice-President, 2019-2021 as its Coordinator of 11 Regional Directors, and the state 1st Vice-President as Chair of the Educational Excellence Committee. in 2023, I was elected as the first lady of color to serve as State President for the biennium 2023-2025.

 

As an active member of the Wake Forest Woman's Club I served as Chair of the Education Community Service Program Committee, member of the Public Issues CSP,  Home Life and Conservation CSPs, the Club's Recording Secretary (2014-2016),  2nd VP and Chair of the Finance Committee (2016-2018), and Past President, 2018-2019. I served in 2019-2020 as Parliamentarian and Chair of the Resolutions and Revisions Committee.

 

I was voted the Wake Forest Woman's Club "Clubwoman of the Year", for outstanding community service with a focus on children and outstanding club service.

 

I was also a 2021 Town of Wake Forest Black History Month Honor Roll Honoree for Outstanding Community Service and for my advocacy that all children deserve to receive a high-quality education and founded two (2) charter schools in the area.
 

I am married to Bill and we are members of Hope Lutheran Church in Wake Forest and volunteer as counters of offerings, advocates for community guests during Touched by Hope and Hope Chest community annual events. 

We share five (5) children. We are the grandparents of six (6) grandchildren and (2) great-granddaughters; from AL, CA to Sweden.

 

I enjoy playing chess, gardening, reading, interior design or staging and traveling. HUbby and I have traveled to and toured Canada and Europe: Denmark, France, Germany, Holland, Sweden. I drove on the Autobahn in Germany going well over 120mph, (179 kph) in a French car and it was a thrilling experience, to say the least.

 

With over 30 years of experience, I am owner and Broker-In-Charge of Parlér Properties LLC Real Estate Services for residential, commercial and land transactions; licensed in NC and GA.

 

When you decide to start a charter school and/or have real estate needs, please contact me. I am ready to serve.