Ann Rollins has served as executive director of the Alice Aycock Poe Center for Health Education (The Poe Center) for 14 years and as a volunteer board member for 10 years prior to that. Before joining the Poe Center staff, Ann served as the WCPSS Parent Liaison/Partnership for Educational Success (PES) Administrator where she partnered with the Wake County Human Services PES managers to connect children and their families in order to strengthen student success. Retired after four decades in the microbiology lab at WakeMed, Ann admits she often reminds her staff (and herself): “We can do ANYTHING, but we can’t do everything.”  

“We have a phenomenal group of health educators who partner with schools and organizations across North Carolina to positively impact the lives of our youth through health education,” says Ann. “I’m surrounded by so many talented subject matter experts and they’re each passionate about providing this education that we see as essential. Our mission is to educate and empower children, youth, and families to make choices that increase positive health behaviors for a lifetime.” 

With a staff of 54 full and part-time staff and 200 volunteers, including student interns from area colleges, the not-for-profit plans creative off-site, on-site, and online programs that make learning about health, hygiene, and wellness fun.

Since it opened in 1991, the Poe Center has educated more than 1.7 million participants from 96 counties. Program topics include: nutrition, physical activity, adolescent development, general health and body systems, substance use prevention, dental health, bullying prevention, family life, mental health, and cooking and gardening education. 

The 15,000 square foot Center is one of only five free-standing health centers of its kind in the nation. The concept began in the 1980s with the early work of the Wake County Medical Society Auxiliary (now the Alliance) which consisted of spouses of area physicians and dentists who saw a need for preventive health education in the community beyond what the school system could provide. 

A Wizard of Oz-themed exhibit (brain, heart, body) was installed at the North Carolina Museum of History which grew in popularity. Eventually, land to build the Poe Center was donated by Jean Poe Smith and her husband, Gordon Smith, Jr. The property was once the farm of Clarence and Alice Aycock Poe – the Center’s namesake — with the original occupants of the land credited to the Lumbee Nation.

“We are the caretakers of the land and it was a gift to us so we always want to make sure we express our gratitude to the original occupants as well as those who came after because we feel like we are stewards of a long legacy. This aligns nicely with our teaching garden,” adds Ann. 

The Center’s GrowWELL garden is an interactive outdoor classroom (complete with beehives) designed to make connections between edible gardening and nutrition while students learn about growing fruits and vegetables, why pollinators matter, how to compost, and the science of plants. The Poe Center’s CookWELL Kitchen provides cooking programs and lessons on nutrition and kitchen safety.

During 2023-2024 alone, more than 2,500 programs were presented – 55% offsite, 40% onsite, and 5% online. These programs reached more than 83,000 participants last year – almost doubling the Center’s annual average over the last four years. More than 87% of program participants report making positive behavior changes after attending a program with the Poe Center.

As a field trip destination, the Poe Center offers interactive, museum-quality exhibits and one-of-a-kind, immersive learning experiences. One unique teaching space called the Cranium Connection features a 12-ft tall human head in the Center’s lobby that houses the Brain Theater, a cave-like space with decorative lighting to simulate veins and nerves. Visitors enter behind the ear to view a 10-minute brain health program through two large monitors at the front of the theater where the eyes would be. Nerf balls are gently launched at the audience to demonstrate the reactions of the nervous system to stimuli.

PlayWELL Park, a 1.5 acre playground, allows visitors to enjoy the outdoors while learning about health. While most of Poe’s onsite program space needs to be scheduled in advance or may be rented out, PlayWELL park is open to the public, weather permitting, Monday through Friday from 8.30 a.m. – 4.30 p.m.

The Poe Center came to Towne through its longtime relationship with Bob Hatley and Paragon Bank. The Center also has close working ties with senior relationship specialist Lucy Beam and private banker Carol Holland, who introduced the Poe Center to Kristin Hoy, benefits broker, and connected the Center to Towne Benefits.

“Recently Triangle president Brian Reid helped secure a gift through the TowneBank Foundation to upgrade some of the special equipment in our PlayWELL Park,” says Ann. “We are proud to be a partner with TowneBank and we greatly appreciate their support of our mission.” 

Poe Center staff have worked hard since the days of COVID-19 isolation to create a digital experience that allows participants to have an immersive health education experience without ever stepping foot on the grounds. “Teachers get access to our virtual field trip, and it gives them resources about other parts of the Center so if they can’t come here in person, they can still share those with their students,” adds Ann.

In a progressive move, The Poe Center recently launched a Fortnite game called Neural Fortification geared toward middle and high school students who like to game. Accessible through Xbox or PlayStation and free on Poe’s website it is described as “a first-of-its kind Fortnite-based healthy choices mini-game” that invites players to “learn how your choices shape the fortress of a resilient mind.”  

Ann concludes, “We’re beyond proud that we were able to work with Fortnite and Horizon Productions to get that produced.” Looks like staff at the Poe Center really can do anything.   

For more information visit PoeHealth.org.