Richard Watts

"Please join me in enthusiastically supporting Richard Watts as candidate for the Winston-Salem Forsyth County School Board. Having served our school system as a classroom teacher, administrator and Crosby Scholars partner for over 32 years, Richard is uniquely qualified to address the challenges facing our schools. I personally have witnessed his dedication to the students, faculty and families across our district. Richard is energetic, intelligent and deeply committed to ensuring the best educational experience possible for all students; preparing them for their college or career path. Richard's vision, expertise and dedication to service of Winston-Salem's youngest citizens is exactly what is needed on the School Board"

"I have known Richard Watts for over 20 years. My first interactions with him were when he was a principal in WSFCS. I was always impressed with the passion that he held for his students and his relentless drive to ensure that his students' needs were met by his school and our district. I was awed by his advocacy for our most disenfranchised children and the genuine love that he held for them that was so clearly evident. Mr. Watts worked tirelessly to serve his students and community. 

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Mr. Watts approached me during my 2nd year as principal at Reagan while he was working with Crosby Scholars. He wanted to collaborate with us in a joint adventure where we recruited minority males to partake in the Crosby Scholars program. Through his experience as a principal, he was overwhelmingly cognizant of the challenges that many of our minority students and their families have with access to such programs. His idea was to bring the program to our schools where our students would have the same access as others. The program, AAMPED, was a tremendous success at my school. Mr. Watts took this ingenious idea to other schools in WSFCS to expand access to numerous other students who could benefit as well. 

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I have seen firsthand Mr. Watt's passion for students. His experiences as an educator in our school system has afforded him an in-depth, first hand examination of what our students need in order to be successful. I am excited to hear that he has elected to run for our school board as I believe he would be an ideal candidate. I am honored to call him my colleague, my friend, and my brother."

"I had the privilege of meeting Richard Watts over 30 years ago on the campus of Wake Forest University where we were both students. It was very evident that Richard was a thoughtful person, hard working and had a strong desire to give back to the community.  Even as a student, Richard would lead Wake Forest campus tours for teens in the Winston Salem area to get them excited about attending college and expanding their horizons.

After graduation, Richard could have returned to his home state of Virginia to start his career but decided to place permanent roots in the Winston Salem area with a focus on serving others and improving the community. Richard’s accomplishments in the field of education spanned from teaching to serving as the Principle of Winston Salem Preparatory Academy. He has a 30-year legacy of educating generations of Winston Salem youth while serving as a role model and mentor to many. In addition, Richard has served as Pastor of Rickards Chapel AME Zion Church in Wilkesboro, NC which serves as yet another example of Richard’s life of service to others and community service.

Even after retirement from the school system, Richard took on a role with Crosby Scholars and continues to work tirelessly to prepare Winston Salem youth for college and brighter futures. The Winston Salem School board would serve as another opportunity for Richard to lead and continue his life’s work of giving back to and improving the lives of the Winston Salem Community.

Mr. Watts,

Thank you for allowing me to share the immense impact that you have had on me throughout my life.

As you know, I was a struggling middle school student who was looking in every direction for where to go, until I was lucky enough to have you as a teacher and that is when my life became focused.

School had always come easy to me, until middle school.  I began floundering and struggling to find my footing.  You saw me floundering and decided to take me under your wing and help straighten me out with your guidance and caring heart.  

Not only did I re-engage in my academics but I started looking ahead and striving for more out of school and myself.  Without your guidance, I am not sure where I would be today.  I ended up graduating from high school in 1993, top 10 in my class, graduating college in 1998, with honors, and currently own my a local business, since 1998.  I am not sure that if our paths never crossed any of that would have been possible.

I was even more honored that you accepted my invitation to marry my wife and I in 2002. It was a wonderful day that would have been missing something without you presiding over it.

It has been a wonderful journey and it all began when you saw a kid who needed some not so tough love and your chose to get him back on the right track.

Thank you for being there through it all!