2025 Sloan Scholars honored at reception along with program supporter Temple Sloan
May 21, 2025
Sanford, NC - One, whose early education took place in Mexico, wants her future students to be inspired and feel cared about.
The other, a lifelong Lee Countian, wants to be a “bright light” for her students — just as her late grandmother was.
They’re Susann Gonzalez-Ortega and Isabella Miller, soon-to-graduate students from Lee County High School, who’ll be receiving scholarships of up to $36,000 to pursue teaching degrees, and then come back to Lee County as teachers.
As Lee County’s newest “Sloan Scholars” the pair were recognized by the Lee County Education Foundation at a reception and ceremony Wednesday at GiGi’s Creations in downtown Sanford.
The Temple Sloan Lee County Teacher Fellows program was launched by the Education Foundation in 2023, with the first Sloan Scholar named in 2024. It was created to encourage Lee County’s best and brightest students to commit to becoming an educator, and then return home and begin a career in a classroom.
It’s funded in partnership with the Education Foundation through the Raleigh-based Sloan Foundation. That foundation was created by Temple Sloan Jr., a former Sanford resident, who founded Carquest Auto Parts in 1961.
“These scholarships will be given to deserving young students to inspire them to earn a teaching degree and encourage them to work in the Lee County school system,” said Sloan, who’s a member of the Lee County Education Foundation board of directors. “We firmly believe that a successful educational experience for our young people begins with outstanding teachers.”
Carquest, which grew to 3,000 auto parts stores, was acquired by Advance Auto Parts in 2014.
The Sloan scholarships will take the form of forgivable loans — similar to the process used in the statewide N.C. Teaching Fellows program. Scholarship recipients are expected to return to Lee County to teach; and all monies are forgiven after four years of teaching in a Lee County public school classroom.
In pursuing a teaching degree, Sloan Scholars may attend any state-supported college or university in pursuit of their teaching certificate.
"Our Sloan Scholars will each make an exceptional contribution to Lee County Schools one day,” Education Foundation board chairperson Susan Keller said. "The generosity of the Temple Sloan Family Foundation and the Sloan family's interest in and support of education made today possible. Lee County is fortunate to have such amazing folks invest in our community.”
Susann Ortega
Gonzalez-Ortega, the daughter of Esther Ortega, attends Lee County High School. She’s been inducted into the National Honor Society and the National Technical Honor Society, serves as president of the National Juntos Club, and is a member of numerous other clubs.
She’ll seek a degree in Marine Biology with a license in education at UNC-Wilmington, which will position her to teach biology at the high school level.
“I think my experiences doing community service inspired me to become a teacher,” Ortega said. “Working as a teacher assistant, helping other students, made me realize I wanted to devote my life to helping others.”
She cited two of her own teachers — Mrs. Price and Mrs. Biles — for their support, and said she wanted to become the kind of teacher “who makes students feel both challenged and supported, someone who pushes them to think deeply, ask questions, and take pride in their growth.”
“I’d hope to be patient, fair, and genuinely passionate about what I teach, so that students not only learn but also feel inspired,” she said. “I’d want my students to say things like, ‘Miss Ortega made learning exciting, even when it was hard,’ or ‘Miss Ortega really listened and cared about us as people.’”
Lee County Schools would be an ideal place to teach, she said, because of the strong sense of community and support among educators, students, and families.
“Teachers here are more than instructors — they’re mentors who invest in their students' futures,” Ortega said. “The district values innovation, diversity, and leadership, which makes it a place where both teachers and students are encouraged to grow. It's not just about academics, it's about preparing students to be thoughtful, compassionate, and capable members of society.”
Isabella Miller
Isabella Miller, the daughter of Kelly and Billy Miller, also attends Lee County High School, where she’s an officer in BETA and the Red Cross, and active in several other clubs. She’s also been a part of the Temple Teen Ensemble at Temple Theatre.
She plans to major in education and stage and screen at Western Carolina University.
Miller’s desire to teach comes in part from the inspiration provided by a late grandmother, who’d served as a special education teacher. She still hears stories about her, Miller said.
“My grandma’s impact on her students brought me the passion to become a teacher, as I want to be just as bright a light as she was in so many children’s lives,” she said. “Over time, this foundation has never changed, but I have found myself going out of my way to give voice and dance lessons to kids, help them understand issues when things seem off, and try to guide them into a better direction overall. I have a special passion for working with youth, and I believe that my dedication to and appreciation of education is what will make me an excellent teacher.”
Miller hopes to be a force, she said, for keeping students on track and learning. One appeal of working within Lee County Schools is that it’s “full of so many unique people and families.”
“We are a perfect blend of all types of people from all different backgrounds,” she said. “Our rich history and community make this county the perfect place to teach, as the minds of the youth lead to an even brighter future for Lee County.”
Being a Sloan Scholar, Miller said, is something she will be dedicated to.
“I have lived in Lee County my whole life, and having the opportunity to be welcomed back home after college to come teach the young minds of so many children (some of whom I will probably know) is such an honor,” she said. “I take pride in this title and I plan on returning home to make a big impact here!”
Oreta described being named a Sloan Scholar as “a responsibility.”
“It means representing my school and community with pride, leading by example, and using my voice to create positive change,” she said. “This scholarship will not only make my dream come true, it is also a reminder to my younger self — a reminder that I’m stronger than I once thought, and dreams can become reality.”
Last year’s inaugural winner, Anna Marks, was also recognized at Wednesday’s ceremony. A graduate of Southern Lee High School, she’s studying now at UNC-Greensboro and seeking a bachelor’s degree in art education. Marks is the daughter of Melinda Marks.
Being a Sloan Scholar, she said, “has definitely helped take off some of the financial burden of going to college. I additionally like that because of being a Sloan Scholar I am guaranteed a job in Lee County, which is where I planned on working after college.”
Foundation board members, community leaders, Lee County Schools administrators and members of the board of education attended Wednesday’s ceremony.
“The event was special,” Keller said. “Each of our Sloan Scholars is exceptional and worthy of celebration. We are happy that so many community members came out to congratulate and meet them!"
In addition to $4,500 per semester in scholarship funds, the program will also include partnerships with teaching mentors, summer programming, and a variety of activities designed to engage Sloan Scholars with LCS and support their commitment to Lee County’s students and community.
The $4,500 per semester will be awarded to help pay for tuition, fees, and books. Students are expected to provide progress reporting and other information to the CCCC Foundation, which will be managing the scholarship monies. Should a student drop out of the program or decide not to return and teach in Lee County, monies will have to be repaid.