The Nan Ogburn Cullman Education Endowment for Johnston County, a fund of the North Carolina Community Foundation, awarded $116,910 in grants to twelve programs or projects at Smithfield-Selma High School in Johnston County, supporting arts, travel and leadership.

2026 grant awards include:

• $10,000 to support 20 students attending the DECA International Career Development conference in Anaheim, CA.
• $9,499 to allow 45 Special Programs to explore colleges, cultural activities and career paths in Western NC.
• $10,000 to support the annual Student Leadership Retreat in Asheboro, NC.
• $7,000 to introduce AVID students (first generation college students) to postsecondary education options in the Charlotte area. Funds will also support student participation in community service projects.
• $20,000 to the band for marching band equipment, instruments, uniforms, percussion and color guard.
• $10,000 for the International Baccalaureate CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) trip to Denmark
• $10,000 for JoCo Teach students to attend the Educators Rising National Conference in Columbus, Ohio
• $10,000 for the Model UN program and to support student travel to competitions.
• $8,360 for the Spartan Cheerleading Team to attend and compete in the NC State Cheerleading Championship in Charlotte and tour the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
• $7,551 to expose students to the arts, including tickets to a production of Wicked at the Durham Performing Arts Center.
• $6,000 to support a trip to Atlanta to visit Civil Rights-era historical sights and area colleges.
• $8,500 to support a Unified Physical Education (PE) class for students with and without intellectual disabilities. Funds also support collaboration with the Robotics Program to modify and adapt equipment needed to participate in sports.

Funds are awarded by a seven-member committee including one member each from the Johnston County Board of Commissioners, Johnston County Principal’s Association, Johnston County Education Foundation, Johnston County Arts Council, Smithfield-Selma High School Principal, Johnston County Community Foundation Advisory Board, and a representative from the Cullman family.   

About the endowment 
The Nan Ogburn Cullman Educational Endowment for Johnston County supports public education in Johnston County in the areas of art, travel and leadership. It was established through the estate of the late Nan Ogburn Cullman (pictured above), a Johnston County native who led an extraordinary life as a professional singer and civic leader in Westchester County, NY, and was a worldwide traveler and explorer.  Since its founding, the endowment has awarded over $715,000 in grants to Smithfield-Selma High School. 

To learn more, visit: nccommunityfoundation.org/CullmanGrants. 

About the North Carolina Community Foundation
The North Carolina Community Foundation transforms the collective generosity of our donors into a permanent source of community support, with a focus on the state’s rural areas.

NCCF partners with donors and a network of affiliates to sustain over 1,300 endowments totaling over $600 million in assets. Nearly $360 million has been awarded as grants to charitable organizations and scholarships to students, creating stronger communities for generations to come.