Best Public School

Peak Charter Academy

Davis Drive Middle School
Reedy Creek Magnet Middle School

Best Private School

Grace Christian School

Cary Academy
Thales Academy

Best Active Adult Community

Searstone

The Templeton
Carolina Preserve at Amberly

Best Nonprofit

Dorcas Ministries

Fit and Able Productions, Inc.
DOC NC

Best Preschool

Primrose

The Cary School
Christ the King Preschool

Best Interior Design Firm

Southern Studio Interior Design

Lauren Burns Interiors
Design Works Studio

Best Music Venue

Koka Booth Amphitheatre

Bond Brothers Eastside
Red Hat Amphitheater

Best Local Event or Festival

Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival

North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival
Apex PeakFest

Best Local Music Group or Artist

Jason Adamo Band

Mysti Mayhem
Your Mama’s New Boyfriend

Best Co-Working Space

Towerview Office Suites

Holly Springs Coworking Station
Frontier RTP

Best Elementary School Principal

Steve Pond, Peak Charter Academy

Raleigh Bame, Laurel Park Elementary School
Lynnae Morris, GRACE Christian School

Best Middle School Principal

H. Trent Evans, Reedy Creek Magnet Middle School

Michael Hokenberg, Davis Drive Middle School
Margaret S. Feldman, Dillard Drive Magnet Middle School

Best High School Principal

Karen Summers, Green Level High School

Matt Wight, Apex Friendship High School
Nolan Bryant, Cary High School

Best High School Coach

Deshannon Morris, Grace Christian Varsity Men’s Basketball

Shawan Robinson, Panther Creek Basketball
Alston Godbold, Green Level Volleyball

Best Place for Outdoor Recreation

Fred G. Bond Metro Park

William B. Umstead State Park
American Tobacco Trail

Best Place for a Friends’ Night Out

Bottle Theory

Whole Brain Escape
Bond Brothers Beer Company

Best Yoga/Pilates Studio

Elite Core Studios

Republic of Yoga
Pure Vida Studio

Best Fitness Program

Pura Vida Studio

Elite Core Studios
Wyatts World Fitness

Best Golf Course

Prestonwood Country Club

MacGregor Downs Country Club
Knight’s Play Golf Center

Best Kids’ Program

Premier School of Dance

Starpath Dance Academy
Pura Vida Studio

Best Track-out or Summer Camp

Starpath Dance Academy

Pura Vida Studio
YMCA

Best Local Podcast

Bob and Lu Show

The Holderness Family
Old Guys Playing Games

Best Social Media Account

NC Eat & Play

Dogtopia
Salvio’s Pizzeria

Best Local TV Personality

Don “Big Weather” Schwenneker, ABC-11

Debra Morgan, WRAL
Elizabeth Gardner, WRAL

Best Local Radio Personality

Erica Delong, G105

Michael McLaughlin “B-Daht,” 102 Jamz
KC O’Dea Show, 106.1 FM TALK

Best NC Hotel or Resort

The Umstead Hotel and Spa

The Mayton
Omni Grove Park Inn, Asheville

Bottle Theory

Best Place for a Friends’ Night Out, Best Neighborhood Bar, Best New Business (Non-Restaurant), Best Bottle Shop

This bottle shop in Apex impressed readers across the board, with Maggys won for Best Neighborhood Bar, Best Place for a Friends’ Night Out, Best New Business and Best Bottle Shop!

Whether you’re a well-versed beer and wine enthusiast or someone who is bamboozled by a fancy-looking wine rack, Bottle Theory in Apex is committed to helping you find the flavors you love in an approachable and relaxing environment (no gatekeeping here)!

Kelly and Pavel Chtcheprov’s decade-long dream of delving into the beer and wine business came to fruition when Bottle Theory first opened its doors in September 2021. Pavel, a robotics controls engineer, and Kelly, the chief of staff to the CEO at Labcorp, both bring a unique set of skills to the table, working in tandem to provide a sleek, pet- and child-friendly space for the community.

“I’m an engineer, so I wanted to bring a little engineering and science into the alcohol business,” said Pavel. “For example, everything has been designed to give you the perfect pour to eliminate waste and just create a better experience for everybody — employees and customers, alike.”

If you’re an introvert who doesn’t feel like talking to the sommeliers (fancy wine experts) on staff, or you’re embarrassed by your lack of knowledge, the folks at Bottle Theory have thought of everything.

“I’ve seen a lot of people stare at the wine wall with a little bit of fear, a little bit of intimidation. So we have a wine guide, like a flow chart, that Kelly designed to get you started,” said Pavel. “We also have a wine app that I wrote that’s actually mounted on a table so customers can browse themselves. Not only will it tell you what we have and how much of it, it will also point to where it is on the shelf.”

Weekly events at Bottle Theory include trivia, a run club, wine tastings, guest brewery tastings, food trucks and live music. For customers who are looking to connect with people and learn more about wine, Bottle Theory will soon be providing a Weekend Wine School, where wine tasting meets wine training.

Given that Bottle Theory is only two minutes away from their house, Pavel and Kelly make connecting with their neighbors a priority — whether it’s sponsoring Green Level’s football team, partnering with Starpath Dance Academy for fun events like Trunk or Treat, or having a conversation about their new collaboration brew with Crank Arm Brewing Company.

“We just love the potential here,” said Kelly. “I like that we’re establishing community and having a tangible impact on real people.”

apexbottletheory.com

Erica DeLong, G105

Best Local Radio Personality

Contributed

A lot has happened since radio sweetheart Erica DeLong won the Maggy Award in 2021! After years of co-hosting G105’s “The Showgram,” DeLong recently managed to snag her own show — G105’s “The Erica Show,” weekdays from 1–5 p.m.

We asked our local airwave entertainer to share five fun facts about herself — enjoy!

I was offered a radio job in NYC during my senior year, thanks to meeting the right people. I originally said no, but lo and behold, I headed to NYC two weeks after graduation. It was one of the (many) great adventures of my life thus far. After many years in NYC and a detour to Detroit/LA (juggling both jobs at once, never sleeping), I found my way back home. I’m from Durham originally, and I missed my family. I grew up at G105, from barely an adult to a married mama of two with a rescue dog.

I am six months into hosting my own show, “The Erica Show.” What a blessing! I now sleep for the first time in my adult life, and it’s a beautiful thing. I’m often seen on red carpets as a correspondent and a regular on CBS My Carolina. It’s great to spend mornings with my favorite blessings, Easton and Ella, and my hubby.

My absolute favorite part about radio is the people. Getting to know our listeners, who are family, and getting involved in our community. I have built amazing partnerships with many local businesses and am honored to call North Carolina home.

I am a proud Christian and now attend The Summit.

I plan to travel the world (every continent) and explore as many cultures as possible. Life is an adventure, and I never want to stop learning and growing!

GRACE Christian School

Best Private School

We recently spoke to Caroline Barnhill, director of marketing and communications at GRACE Christian, to get the 411 on 2022’s winner for Best Private School.

What is GRACE Christian? Located on the Raleigh-Cary border, GRACE Christian School (GCS) is a transitional kindergarten-12th grade school with a mission to be a loving community that spiritually and academically equips, challenges and inspires students to impact their world for Christ. We provide an incredible community where every child is known, valued and loved.

What sets GRACE Christian School apart from other private schools in the area? We provide a loving community where families partner with passionate, talented educators to help students cultivate their God-given gifts and talents. We pursue academic excellence for each child, knowing that individual excellence can not be defined by a one-size-fits-all approach.

What does winning this year’s Maggy for Best Private School mean to GRACE Christian? To win Best Private School during this season demonstrates that our families recognize our exceptional commitment to our students’ whole being — spiritual, physical, emotional and academic.

Share anything noteworthy — awards, events, etc. The GCS Class of 2021 included a Morehead-Cain Scholar, a Goodnight Scholar, a Levine Scholar, a Cheatem-White Scholar, an Air Force ROTC Scholarship recipient and a NCAA Division I recruited athlete.

Our Senior Sidekick program partners kindergarteners with a senior “sidekick” to enjoy fun events throughout the year.

Each winter, GCS holds Play4Kay — a fundraiser for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. We were recently recognized as the top K-12 fundraising school in the country. To date, GCS has raised more than $115,000 during Play4Kay.

GCS is one of the first schools in the area to offer District C’s Teamship program — a novel internship experience through which teams of students solve real problems for real businesses, providing them with valuable entrepreneurial experience and interaction with community business leaders.

NC Eat & Play

Best Social Media Account

If you’re looking for yummy local eats or the perfect day trip destination, NC Eat & Play has got you covered! Professional taster and explorer Megan Nichols and her team are on a mission to connect locals with great food and affordable activities via Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and the NC Eat & Play podcast.

We caught up with Nichols to learn a little bit more about the woman behind the winning social media account (in between her tastings and travels, of course). Enjoy!

Tell the readers a little bit about yourself! I am a 13th-generation North Carolinian. My husband and I were both born and raised in NC and love to explore our home with our 3-year-old, Dean, and 1-year-old, Cameron. I specialize in food and travel photography, writing and social media.

How was NC Eat & Play “born”? I created NC Eat & Play in October of 2019, just before the pandemic hit. I’ve always loved North Carolina and exploring the local restaurants and fun things to do and thought it would be neat to have a place to share my adventures. I didn’t put a lot of thought into its creation. I had an idea and went for it, not knowing how fast it would take off!

What is the mission of NC Eat & Play? NC Eat & Play’s mission is to explore, highlight and celebrate North Carolina. We share adventures through the perspective of a North Carolina family and hope to inspire others to live a fulfilling life, exactly where they are.

What inspires you? NC Eat & Play is fueled by a passion for something we call “Local Wanderlust.” I am inspired by travel — seeing, tasting and experiencing new things. While many people think the desire to travel has to take them overseas and empty their pockets, we believe it’s also important to find inspiration in your own backyard.

Do you have a favorite place to eat in Cary? Too many to name! Cary’s restaurant scene is outstanding, and we have quite a few favorite spots there. To name just a couple — V Pizza for Neapolitan pizza and wings, Miso Ramen Bar for ramen, and La Farm Bakery for the white chocolate baguettes!

Share one FUN FACT about yourself! I am terrified of heights! Even climbing a ladder scares me. My fear makes hiking in the mountains interesting, to say the least!

nceatandplay.com

Starpath Dance Academy

Best Track-Out or Summer Camp

Starpath Dance Academy was cofounded in 2013 by Lindsey Kaplowitz, one of Cary Magazine’s Movers and Shakers in 2020, and her mother, Janice Rava.

Kaplowitz, who acts as both artistic director and dance teacher, has a wealth of teaching and dancing experience and an obvious love for connecting with and inspiring children.

“It’s really important to us that everyone in here is treated like family,” said Kaplowitz. “We’re about joy first — I think that’s the biggest thing. I want every kid who comes in here to be happy and feel good about themselves and develop a love for dance.”

A family-oriented dance studio with locations in both Cary and Apex, Starpath offers classes for dancers starting at age two through adulthood in a wide variety of styles including tap, ballet, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, musical theater and contemporary.

The studio’s shineBRIGHT enrichment track-out camp program offers full- and half-day week-long camps for boys and girls in grades K-5 and 6-8. Participants have the opportunity to explore creative arts, work together, build friendships and enhance their understanding of academic subjects, like reading and math, through Starpath’s Professor Pirouette program. In addition to dancing, campers can learn more about set and costume design and even nutrition. All campers have the opportunity to participate in an end-of-the-week performance for friends and family to enjoy.

“My daughter is in year-round school, so I really saw a need for more track-out programs,” said Kaplowitz. “It’s so important that children are exposed to many things and they get to figure out for themselves what their interests are, so shineBRIGHT is really about developing kids academically, mentally and socially through dance.”

starpathdance.com

Bob & Lu Show

Best Local Podcast

Hosted by husband and wife duo Bob and Lu Dumas, “The Bob & Lu Show” gives listeners hilarious and candid takes on marriage, family and life after radio.

Bob Dumas spent nearly 30 years hosting G105’s “Bob and The Showgram,” developing a wildly loyal fan base that followed and supported him during the launch of his podcast in 2019. New episodes drop about once a week, featuring everything from football to parenting to Bob’s new hobbies and Lu’s new haircut.

“Best show about real life for people,” said Renee Barker, a loyal listener. “Just a wholesome podcast, and these are two very lovable human beings. You learn about marriage, day-to-day life, God, religion and family and friends. It’s just plain down-to-earth.”

In addition to the podcast, Dumas continues to raise money for Bob’s Buddies, the nonprofit he founded to help kids with pediatric brain tumors.

facebook.com/bobandlushow

More From Our Apr 2022 Issue

• 2022 Maggy Awards: Shopping
• 2022 Maggy Awards: Services
• 2022 Maggy Awards: Lifestyle
• 2022 Maggy Awards: Restaurants
• Presenting the 2022 Maggy Awards: Best of Cary Magazine
• Local Soil Mates
• Things to Do: April 2022
• Restaurant Profile: Big Mike’s BBQ
• Worth the Drive: Zeera Indian Restaurant
• Houseplants: Your New Best Fronds
• Small Business Spotlight: The Wine Merchant
• Nonprofit Spotlight: Friends of Hemlock Bluffs
• Liquid Assets: Why is Sally So Dangerous?
• Liquid Assets: Cary Gold from Bond Brothers Beer Company
• On Trend: Copperline Plant Co.
• Garden Adventurer: The Little Tomatoes