CHARLOTTE — The Harding University High School gym will be named after the school’s beloved former principal who died unexpectedly after a stroke in September.
In a press release, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education said members voted Tuesday night to name the gym the Dr. Eric T. Ward Sr. Athletic Center with the support of parents, students and staff.
Ward, 46, was from Whiteville and attended UNC Charlotte, becoming a math teacher and track nd field coach at Independence High School after graduation. He became assistant principal at West Mecklenburg High and then principal at Wilson Middle before returning to West Meck as principal. In 2015, he became principal of Harding University High School.
“Dr. Ward was an inspiration and a mentor to hundreds, if not thousands, of students in CMS,” said CMS board Vice Chair Thelma Byers-Bailey, who introduced the motion to name the Harding gym. “His energy, his enthusiasm, his desire to better himself and help his community – plus his legendary cheerleading and Ram pride at Harding pep rallies – all these things make naming the gym for him very appropriate. Dr. Ward was a unique and unforgettable educator and this naming will help keep his legacy alive in CMS.”
Ward earned his master’s degree from Gardner-Webb University and his doctorate from Wingate University.
“Dr. Ward was the embodiment that education is the path to success in life,” said Superintendent Earnest Winston. “He never stopped learning, and he never stopped teaching others. He was a huge asset to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. I am glad that his name will be on the gym at Harding, where he did some of his greatest work as an educator and a leader.”
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