Three Generations, One Village: A Teacher’s Lasting Legacy

For retired educator Rosa Rand, a tutoring session recently hosted by Southeast Raleigh Promise at Beacon Ridge Apartments was more than an opportunity to help students prepare for End-of-Grade testing.

It was also a reminder that relationships hold the power to span generations.

Among the students Rand worked with during the second annual, five-session EOG Prep Series was 10-year-old Thomas, Virginia’s grandson, whom Rand taught in second grade at York Elementary School in the 1980s.

The connection runs even deeper.

Although Rand was not Virginia’s daughter, Veronica’s classroom teacher, Virginia instructed her to introduce herself to Rand when she began kindergarten at York Elementary School in 1996 and to rely on her whenever she needed guidance and support.

She did.

“We’re still connected,” Rand said. “That’s three generations I’ve been in that family’s life.”

Listening to Rand reflect on the relationship, Veronica Burt quickly identified the reason it has endured.

“It’s trust,” she said. “It really is full circle. Now, my son gets the same thing that I got.”

The connection represents the lasting impact educators can have beyond the classroom, long after lessons in the classroom have ended.

Rand credits her own educational journey to the example set by teachers she encountered as a student at Southeast Raleigh’s historic Washington Elementary School.

“I saw Black excellence in the teachers I had at Washington Elementary School,” Rand said. “They impacted my life greatly and led me to teach.”

One of those educators was Southeast Raleigh resident Sydney Roberts, 93, who taught Rand as a second grader at Washington Elementary School.

“I wanted to be the best teacher I could be and use my teaching skills to be a positive influence and example, especially for my Black students,” Roberts said. “As a Black educator, I wanted my students to see what was possible and to know they could achieve great things, so we were more than teachers. We were role models. Seeing former students like Rosa continue to serve and uplift others makes me proud because it shows the impact of that example.”

Inspired by teachers like Roberts who helped shape her belief in and understanding of what’s possible, Rand dedicated 40 years to Wake County Public Schools, impacting the lives of countless students and families. Although she’s now retired, Rand continues to answer the call.

“As a person who has been there on the front lines, the need is prevalent,” she said. “I believe it takes a village, and I’m still willing to be part of the village. I see every child as part of my responsibility.”

That commitment extends beyond education. Rand also serves as president of the Fourth Ward Historic Neighborhood Association, working to preserve the history and advocate for recognition of the Southeast Raleigh community she called home for 50 years before it was displaced by urban renewal.

The story of Rosa Rand and the Burt family reflects the kind of generational connection that helps communities thrive. Just as Virginia Burt encouraged her daughter to seek guidance from a trusted educator, Veronica now watches her son benefit from that same relationship decades later.

It’s what can happen when a village shows up – for generations.

Our EOG Prep Session Series was hosted by Southeast Raleigh Promise, in partnership with Southeast Raleigh Elementary School, as part of our Cradle-to-Career Education component, where we believe that relationships, access, opportunity, and a shared commitment to the next generation build strong communities.

As we support today’s students, we also honor legacy residents and educators like Rosa Rand, whose dedication strengthens the village and inspires those who will lead it tomorrow.