Harding University High School Alumni Association, Inc.

For years, there have been conversations about establishing an official Harding University High School Alumni Association.

We're excited to share that it's finally here.

And we're beginning in a way that both honors Harding's history and creates space for alumni to shape what comes next.

On September 4, the Harding University High School Alumni Association will be legally established as a North Carolina nonprofit corporation, with alumna Dorothy Counts-Scoggins serving as incorporator.

The date is intentional.

On September 4, 1957, then 15-year-old Dorothy Counts made history when she entered Harding High School as one of the first Black students to integrate Charlotte's public schools. Sixty-nine years later, her name will once again become part of Harding's history — this time helping establish an organization intended to connect generations of Harding alumni and support the school community for years to come.

We are incredibly grateful to Ms. Counts-Scoggins for lending her name to this important first step.

But we also know that the idea of an official Alumni Association means a great deal to many people. Alumni across generations have invested time, energy and ideas into imagining what this organization could become.

So as we take this step, we want to be transparent about exactly what has been done, what has not been done, and where alumni come in.

First, we're creating the table.

Incorporating the Alumni Association gives it legal existence. That's the purpose of this first step.

We chose to complete the basic legal formation first because forming the organization and designing the organization are two different things.

We don't need to decide the permanent board, bylaws, committees, membership structure or every aspect of the Association's mission simply to establish the organization.

And rather than bring alumni together to spend months working through administrative steps that don't require those decisions, we want to create the foundation and focus our collective time on the things that truly deserve alumni voices.

So, what HAS been done?

The Harding University High School Alumni Association, Inc. has been legally established as a nonprofit corporation. A donation from DuGhood Foundation has been granted to cover the cost of filing for corporation and 501(c)(3) status.

Its Articles establish a broad charitable and educational foundation from which the Association can be built. The filing does not appoint permanent officers or leadership.

We will also move forward with seeking federal 501(c)(3) recognition.

We're pursuing that early for a reason. The sooner the Association has the appropriate nonprofit infrastructure in place, the sooner it can take advantage of opportunities for charitable giving, fundraising and partnerships as the organization grows.

And what has NOT been done?

A lot — and that's intentional.

• —No permanent Board of Directors has been selected.
• —No permanent officers or leadership have been appointed.
• —No final mission statement has been adopted.
• —No bylaws or permanent governance structure have been established.
• —No membership structure has been determined.
• —No committees or long-term priorities have been finalized.

Those decisions have not already been made behind closed doors.

They are the work ahead.

The Articles intentionally provide a broad charitable and educational foundation — supporting education, students, alumni and the school community — without attempting to determine everything the permanent Association must become.

Now, we build it together.

With the legal foundation underway, the next step is to invite alumni into the work that matters most.

We will be establishing a temporary Founding Task Force made up of alumni who want to help thoughtfully develop the Association's mission, bylaws, membership structure, governance, board structure, committees, priorities and process for establishing permanent leadership.

The task force will have a defined assignment and a defined end.

Its purpose isn't to become the permanent leadership of the Association.

Its purpose is to help build an Association capable of lasting well beyond any of us.

And participation won't be limited to the task force. There will be opportunities for alumni across generations to stay informed, contribute ideas, volunteer, share Harding history and help shape what comes next.

This is the beginning.

We know Harding alumni care deeply about this school and about getting this right.

We do too.

The legal organization creates the table. What we build around it belongs to the Harding alumni community.

Visit huhsalumni.org to:

• —Learn more about the founding process
• —Read answers to frequently asked questions
• —Sign up for updates
• —Express interest in participating
• —Share this effort with other Harding alumni

And most importantly, spread the word.

There are generations of Harding graduates whose voices, experiences and talents can help build something meaningful for the school that connects us all.

We wanted you to hear it from us first — on September 4, we honor where Harding has been.

And together, we begin deciding where its Alumni Association goes next.