Educating, Innovating and Inspiring

Celebrating 20 years of the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation

Over 20 years ago, the initial vision for a research institution attached to a middle school was born. North Carolina Gov. James B. Hunt, Jr. ’59, ’62 envisioned a place connecting middle school students to professors and college students that delivered innovative teaching and learning strategies into the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS). In 2000, WCPSS and the NC State College of Education signed a lease agreement for construction of a partners-in-school research and development center. For five years, the College of Education raised the money to build what would become the Friday Institute while ideas and collaboratories were formulated for the institute.

20 years of the Friday Institute. Innovating, educating and inspiring

Since its opening, the Friday Institute has become a leader in K-12 education practice, research and policy, constantly shifting and changing its priorities as needed in K-12 education. As the Friday Institute celebrates its 20th anniversary, we’re taking a look back at the milestones that have shaped our work and reputation while honoring our partners for whom this work is done with their collaborative support.

Moving forward, the Friday Institute will continue our transformative work solving the pressing problems in our world through education, building evidence-based toolkits and frameworks creating meaningful change for educators and communities.

“This is going to be a place of excitement and high energy. It is going to be a place where we aren’t afraid to try—even to fail—because the commitment is here to keep at it until we make the process better. If you have a spirit of creativeness and adventure, the Institute will be the place to be.”

Bill Friday

Former President of the UNC System

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20 Ways the Friday Institute Changed
K-12 Education

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Let’s Get Digital

Friday Institute’s longtime commitment to digital learning helped change North Carolina’s education landscape.

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Friday Institute Forges a Path in Online Professional Learning

Through free, online professional learning courses, the Friday Institute set out to provide large-scale, collaborative professional development resources for educators

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Friday Institute’s Commitment to Educators, Students Continues Amidst Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak

The Friday Institute committed to supporting educators, collaborating with its community and providing resources for teaching and learning while educators and students were at home.

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Friday Institute Celebrates 20 Years on NC State’s Centennial Campus

On Friday, March 15, 2024, the Friday Institute celebrated the 20th anniversary of the groundbreaking of its building with a commemorative ceremony.

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Behind the Scenes of North Carolina’s At-Home Learning Initiative

The At-Home Learning Initiative was created to help solve remote learning gaps across the state, specifically for students who have a lack of access to a stable internet connection.

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Friday Institute and NCDPI Partner on K-12 Cybersecurity and School Connectivity Initiatives for North Carolina Public Schools

In 2021, NCDPI established the K-12 Cybersecurity Program to organize and align the cybersecurity functions holistically across the state.

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Since 2020, the Friday Institute has engaged:

422K+

educators

3,700

students

100

North Carolina counties

The Friday Medal

The Friday Medal honors significant, distinguished and enduring contributions to education and beyond through advocating innovation, advancing education and imparting inspiration.

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A timeline showing pivotal moments in the Friday Institute's history beginning in 2001 and showing through 2005

Journey Through the Decades

For 20 years, the Friday Institute has served North Carolina’s K-12 educators and students. Journey through the decades with us as we look back on 20 years of impact.

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Executive Director Spotlight

Organizational impact requires great leadership. Through the years, we’ve had exemplary figureheads at the Friday Institute. Our leaders have all shared a calling and a charge to improve education for all learners.

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Educating, Innovating and Inspiring

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