Desmarais Talks Economic Development, Ending the ‘Stigma’ of Community College

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Dr. Rachel Desmarais, president of Vance-Granville Community College, was on Tuesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss the college’s role in economic development and her vision for the future of the institution.

Beginning her tenure as VGCC’s seventh president in January, Desmarais brings with her over 20 years of experience in the community college system.

Once a community college student at Forsyth Tech herself, Desmarais said she never would have imagined that she would one day become the college’s executive vice president and chief operating officer.

“I had a liberal arts degree already and needed real-world skills, and I got that at Forsyth Tech. I’m living proof of how you can transition from one to the other. Being able to use those skills to recruit students, recruit businesses, brainstorm with the best in town and make asks of large-name companies to try to recruit them to the area was a really valuable experience.”

It is this experience, in part, that Desmarais said she’ll draw on to help implement economic turnaround in the local four-county area.

Dr. Rachel Desmarais, president of Vance-Granville Community College (Photo courtesy VGCC)

“Coming from the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County area, I have experience working with the transition from tobacco and old-style manufacturing into healthcare and biotech innovation,” Desmarais said.

For their part in this transition, VGCC will focus on building new relationships with businesses and organizations while strengthening relationships with current community partners. “We work with partners such as economic development and the Chamber to be the glue between people looking for jobs and people wanting to hire.

I’m going to leverage the gifts and talents that our people have here in the college to create more short-term workforce training to support our existing companies and to be a recruitment tool for economic development,” Desmarais stated.

To build the educated workforce best-suited for local employment needs, Desmarais said the college is reviewing its current offerings of programs and courses, including where courses are offered and program completion times.

“Our focus is on degree alignment, making sure we offer courses in the right format and in the right locations.”

According to Desmarais, other barriers to education – lack of transportation, extreme poverty and the general “stigma” of community college – also need to be addressed to ensure that everyone has an opportunity for educational advancement and/or career development.

“We have to end the stigma of community colleges. Community colleges are very valuable; if you want to go on to get a four-year degree, it’s cost effective. There is a lot of evidence that demonstrates that students from community colleges are just as successful as four-year college students, and in some cases, even better prepared.”

Desmarais said she also wants to work with four-year colleges on possible transfer credit agreements of Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degrees.

Similar to current agreements for Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degree credits, this type of agreement would potentially allow students with AAS degrees to more smoothly transfer their credit hours earned at a community college to a four-year college.

As for the immediate future, VGCC has several exciting events planned for 2019 in celebration of their 50th anniversary, including the college’s dinner theatre performance of “Company” by Stephen Sondheim April 25 – 26, the annual VGCC golf tournament to be held at Henderson Country Club on May 7 and open house events at all four VGCC campuses.

While excited to be joining the college in its 50th year, Desmarais said she is even more thrilled to see her passion for education and for the community college environment reflected in the community.

“I love the passion that I see here at the college; the love that people have for the college and what it has done in the community.”

To hear the Town Talk interview with Dr. Rachel Desmarais in its entirety, click here.

Vance Co. High School Recognizes 2018-2019 Graduation Marshals

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-Press Release, Vance County Schools

Vance County High School recognized its graduation marshals for 2018-2019 during a reception held in the school’s media center on March 28.

A total of 20 outstanding students were recognized and presented with framed certificates by school counselors during the event.

The students who have been selected as graduation marshals for the Class of 2019 include: Avery Allen, Jasmine Burmmitt, Kristophe Burwell, Tammy Dang, Mariela Escribano Chontal, Samayia Floyd, Victoria Glasscock, Daesha Johnson, Jabari Jones, Jolvin Kingsberry, Carolina Leon, Taliya Lewis, Maximus Parham, Vanessa Esmeralda Mendoza, Payton Rainey, Gustavo Robles-Delao, Christopher Stevenson, Kristina Terry, Anna Ventura and Tyere Wiggins.

The graduation marshals will lead several year-end events at Vance County High School that are designed to honor members of the Class of 2019.

Graduation marshals listen to school counselors explain how they were selected to receive their academic honors. (Photo courtesy VCS)

With Community Support, VGCC Plans to Celebrate 50th Anniversary

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-Press Release, VGCC 

During 2019, Vance-Granville Community College marks a half-century of excellence in education and training, and college officials are planning for events that tie into the celebration throughout the year.

These events include: the seventh annual VGCC Dinner Theater, set for April 25 and April 26; the 35th annual Endowment Fund Golf Tournament, on May 7; commencement exercises for VGCC’s 50th graduating class, on May 10; a formal inauguration of the college’s new president, Dr. Rachel Desmarais; and events at each campus on or around Sept. 4 – the date on the college’s original charter, which is traditionally observed as the college’s official birthday. A team of college faculty and staff are currently finalizing plans for additional events and activities.

“The 50th anniversary of VGCC provides numerous opportunities for us to celebrate the positive impact this institution has had on Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties, while also renewing our commitment to our students and our communities,” Dr. Desmarais said.

Local citizens and businesses have stepped up to support the college’s anniversary celebration. The highest level of anniversary sponsorship is represented by the “Vanguard” sponsors. These include Bob Hubbard of Henderson, longtime vice-chair of the VGCC Endowment Fund Board of Directors; Mr. and Mrs. Hutson “Hut” Wester of Henderson, who are also supporters of the Endowment Fund; and Mr. and Mrs. John Nelms, Jr., of Raleigh, the son and daughter-in-law of the late John K. Nelms, who served on both the VGCC Board of Trustees and the Endowment Board. Four businesses are also Vanguard sponsors: Duke Energy, Altec Industries of Creedmoor, the Guild Gift Gallery at Maria Parham, and Henderson Fruit and Produce.

Sponsors at the “Patron” level include Mr. and Mrs. Bob Nelson of Henderson; J.M. White Funeral Home of Henderson and Mr. and Mrs. Julius Banzet of Warren County.

“Benefactors” for the anniversary include Janet Mills, Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Tanner, Hicks and Wrenn, PLLC, the Honorable and Mrs. Randolph Baskerville, Mr. and Mrs. Josh Towne, Katharine Horner, Phillips Dorsey Thomas Waters & Brafford, P.A., CertainTeed, Ruth Brummitt, Nathan Fleming, and Mr. and Mrs. Jim Crawford.

“We thank these steadfast friends of the college for their commitment to helping us celebrate Vance-Granville’s rich tradition of service to our region,” said VGCC Endowment Director Eddie Ferguson.

The four-county educational institution that is today VGCC began in 1969 as Vance County Technical Institute. After offering classes in various community locations, VCTI moved into renovated quarters of the former Maria Parham Hospital building near downtown Henderson in January 1970.

Soon, phenomenal growth in enrollment made it clear that the school needed larger, more permanent facilities. Granville County leaders then joined Vance County in supporting a united effort to construct and maintain a brand-new campus.

With the institution renamed Vance-Granville Technical Institute, the new campus was built midway between Henderson and Oxford. It opened in August 1976, just six weeks after the legislature granted community college status, meaning that the school could offer students the first two years of a four-year degree. Accordingly, its name was changed to Vance-Granville Community College.

Under the leadership of Dr. Ben Currin, VGCC’s longest-serving president, the college expanded by establishing additional campuses: South Campus, a facility in southern Granville County, in 1982; the Warren County Campus in 1988; and the Franklin County Campus in 1991. Throughout the years, the institution has benefited from the strong support of citizens in all four counties, in the form of donors’ endowed scholarships and in the form of voters’ approval of bonds to build facilities.

In more recent years, VGCC has been transformed through the addition of online programs that can extend educational opportunities to even more students and through the establishment of four Early College high schools — one at each VGCC campus — in partnership with local public school systems.

“In the short time I have been at Vance-Granville, I’ve heard from so many people in the four-county area about how much pride they take in their community college. They want to see it grow while maintaining a focus on accessibility and preparing students for great careers,” added Dr. Desmarais. “In fact, VGCC Vanguards are all around us in the community, demonstrating the college’s excellence over the past 50 years. Our alumni are leaders in business, in health care, in education, in law enforcement and so many other fields.”

The college is interested in hearing from alumni about how their education at VGCC prepared them for success. To share such a story, or to find out more about supporting the college, contact Eddie Ferguson at (252) 738-3264 or fergusone@vgcc.edu.

New Hope Elementary to Receive $500 Kohl’s Grant

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-Press Release, Vance County Schools

There were five Kohl’s employees who traveled from their store in Durham to spend about half of the school day helping students and teachers in their classrooms on March 14.

As a result of the employees’ assistance with students and teachers at New Hope Elementary School, Kohl’s will award the school the grant funding.

Kohl’s employees, wearing their blue volunteer t-shirts, are shown in the two accompanying photos as they work with students in their classrooms. Kohl’s staff helped students with reading and math assignments during their volunteer time at the school. The volunteers worked mostly with small groups of students in classrooms in grades 3-5 at New Hope.

Principal Harold Thompson, Jr. said the Kohl’s employees were a great help during the approximately four hours they were at the school. He noted that New Hope students always enjoy having adults to come into their classrooms to assist them with their work.

(Photo courtesy VCS)

(Photo courtesy VCS)

15 Local Educators Complete Vance Co. Teacher Executive Institute Program

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-Press Release, Vance County Schools

An outstanding group of 15 educators with Vance County Schools were honored during the evening of March 28, for their successful completion of the Vance County Teacher Executive Institute (TEI) program for the 2018-2019 school year.

They were each presented framed certificates for completion of the program.

An audience that included the educators’ special guests and each of their principals gathered to recognize their achievements.

Those educators honored included: Angela Cusaac of Vance County High School and the school system’s Teacher of the Year; Christine Francis of Vance County High School; Davia Johnson of Vance County Middle School; Sherrie Evans-Bailey of AdVance Academy; Oscar Suarez of Early College High School; Tammy Barrow of STEM Early High School; Jessica Ayscue of Aycock Elementary School; Patricia Harris of Carver Elementary School; Kristy Martin of Clarke Elementary School; Pat Hughes of E.O. Young, Jr. Elementary School; Cherie Dixon of L.B. Yancey Elementary School; Taylor Evans of New Hope Elementary School; Jhaneille Downer of Pinkston Street Elementary School; Kimberly Holtzmann of Dabney Elementary School; and Vanessa Davis of Zeb Vance Elementary School.

The Vance County Teacher Executive Institute graduates for 2018-2019 include, from left, Jessica Ayscue, Tammy Barrow, Pat Hughes, Sherrie Evans-Bailey, Oscar Suarez, Patricia Harris, Jhanielle Downer, Davia Johnson, Cherie Dixon, Taylor Evans, Kristy Martin, Kimberly Holtzmann, Vanessa Davis, Christine Francis and Angela Cusaac. (Photo courtesy VCS)

Katie Eddings, a teacher at Lee County High School and the current N.C. North Central Region Teacher of the Year, was the featured speaker for the event. Eddings talked with the honored educators and guests about her passion for teaching and urged them all to focus on developing positive relationship with students. She also asked them to use their commitment to children to push for positive changes in public education and our society today.

The Vance County Teacher Executive Institute has been offered to local public school educators since 1993. The program is presented each year by the Vance County Public School Foundation and the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce. Vance County Schools is a sponsor and partner for the program. TEI is a professional development program for public school teachers, counselors and media specialists. It is designed to bring local educators and business leaders together to form strong relationships so that they can work together for the betterment of our students and future leaders.

Corporate sponsors this year for Teacher Executive Institute included: Duke Energy, Satterwhite Point Marina, Walmart Distribution Center #6091, KARTS, Quick Print, Vance County Farm Bureau, J.M. White Funeral Service, Henderson Family YMCA, The Daily Dispatch, Golden Skillet, Maria Parham Health, Chick-fil-A of Henderson, Wayne and Susan Adcock and Barnett Properties.

Dabney Elementary Students Welcome Baby Chicks Into Their Classrooms

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-Press Release, Vance County Schools

Four weeks ago second graders and their teachers at Dabney Elementary School welcomed chicken eggs into their classrooms. Now, they have baby chicks hopping around in their incubator containers.

The learning experience has been a great one for the students and a truly collaborative effort among the four second-grade teachers.

Second-grade teacher Kerianne Owen began the project and got her colleagues, Kimberly Holtzmann, Trish Burroughs and Ellen Harris, to join in. The eggs were donated by a local farmer and the project was sponsored through the Vance County 4-H, with lots of help from Lina Lue, the local agricultural extension agent.

The students can easily answer questions about the process, including how they rotated the eggs three times a day for 21 days and made sure the eggs were always kept warm in the incubators. They can discuss how the chicks made their way out of their eggs and how they have changed in the few days since they hatched.

The chicks’ journey at Dabney Elementary is coming to an end. This week, they will be taken home by Owen and Holtzmann, who plan to raise them on their farms.

“The children have been so excited through this whole process,” Owen said. “Each day, they would come into the classroom and go over to the incubator to say hello to the chicks, even when they were still inside their eggs. Once we saw them starting to peck their way out of their shells, the students’ enthusiasm really went up.”

“This has been an amazing learning experience for our students,” Holtzmann added. “We as teachers have learned, also. It was quite a bit of work to care for the eggs, make sure they were turned enough times each day and kept warm enough. Now that they are out of their shells, the children have learned how to feed them and give them water.”

Of course, the students have given all of the chicks names. They’ve watched them go from “wet gooey messes” as one student described as they hatched, to now “furry” cute things ranging in color from dark brown to yellow.

The students say they will be sad to see the chicks leave their classrooms, but they’re looking forward to Owen and Holtzmann sharing pictures of the chicks as they grow into adult chickens.

Kerianne Owen, a second-grade teacher at Dabney Elementary, watches with four of her students as nine baby chicks move around in the incubator in her classroom. (Photo courtesy VCS)

Kimberly Holtzmann holds one of the 10 baby chicks in her classroom as some of her second graders take turns petting the chick. (Photo courtesy VCS)

Vance Co. Elementary Schools to Host Pre-K, Kindergarten Registration Events

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-Information courtesy the Vance Co. Schools’ Facebook Page

All 10 Vance County Schools’ elementary schools are hosting pre-kindergarten and kindergarten showcase events April 1 – 5, for registration for the 2019-2020 school year!

There will be two sessions held at each school – one session in the morning and a second session in the afternoon/evening to accommodate parents’ schedules.

The pre-kindergarten and kindergarten showcase times include:

Aycock Elementary:
April 3: 8:30-11:30 a.m.
April 4: 2-6 p.m.

Carver Elementary:
April 1: 2-6 p.m.
April 5: 8:30-11:30 a.m.

Clarke Elementary:
April 3: 4:30-5:30 p.m. and 5:45-7 p.m.
April 4: 8:30-10:30 a.m.

Dabney Elementary:
April 3: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
April 4: 2-6 p.m.

E.M. Rollins Elementary:
March 25-29; parents welcome during and after school

E.O. Young, Jr. Elementary:
April 2: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 2-6 p.m.

L.B. Yancey Elementary:
April 3: 2-6 p.m.
April 4: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

New Hope Elementary:
April 1: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
April 2: 2-6 p.m.

Pinkston Street Elementary:
April 3: 2-6 p.m.
April 4: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Zeb Vance Elementary:
April 3: 8:30-11:30 a.m.
April 4: 2-6 p.m.

Third Annual Arts Alive! to Showcase Vance Co. Students’ Talent

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Terri Hedrick, public information officer for Vance County Schools, was on Tuesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss the school systems’ upcoming Arts Alive! event. Arts Alive! is open to the public and will be held at the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center in Henderson on Saturday, April 27, 2019.

The third annual Vance County Schools event will showcase the talents of students in a variety of art forms including painting, drawing, dancing, singing and performance. All grade levels – from Pre-K to 12th graders – will be represented.

Parents, students, family members, educators and the community at large are invited to view over 200 pieces of student artwork that will be displayed in the McGregor Hall Gallery.

Jordan Lewis (left) and Anna Ventura (right), both students at Vance County High School, are shown wearing their Arts Alive! 2019 t-shirts and their Arts Alive! buttons. Jordan designed the artwork for the buttons and Anna designed the artwork featured on the t-shirts. (Photo courtesy VCS)

Andrew Markoch, director of the arts program for Vance County Schools, said viewers and audience members are in for a treat. “We are encouraging students to submit their best work and pushing the phrase ‘gallery quality.’ Some of the things I’ve seen have been absolutely incredible.”

In addition to the art gallery, approximately 20 performing acts ranging from large to small groups of vocalists, musicians, dancers and more will entertain on McGregor Hall’s stage beginning at 7 p.m. on April 27.

Tickets are available for purchase at McGregor Hall’s box office beginning at 3 p.m. the day of the event. Tickets for adults and children are $5 each; all seating is general admission.

New this year will be a series of “master classes” offered the morning of the event by Hill’s Music Shoppe, Ballet Arts All Stars and Wolf Trap Education.

Master classes are free of charge and will either be offered at McGregor Hall or at nearby facilities.

For more information on each class or to register, please visit the Vance County Schools website by clicking here. Information regarding the master classes is located near the top of the VCS homepage.

To help support VCS’ art programs and to spread awareness of the Arts Alive! event, t-shirts are on sale now through April 3 at all Vance County schools for $10. The purple shirt features a colorful, inclusive design created by Vance County High School junior Anna Ventura.

Ventura, who was interviewed as part of the Town Talk segment, said she wanted to represent all forms of art in her design – including drawing, music and dancing. “Art helps me express myself; you get better with practice and over time.”

Fellow VCHS student, Jordan Lewis, was chosen as the Arts Alive! lapel button design winner and said he has always enjoyed drawing as a form of expression and creativity.

Ventura and Lewis were among the many Vance County students who submitted their original artwork ideas for the t-shirt and button contest.

Other students completed an audition process for the evening performance portion of the event.

According to Markoch, all 15 Vance County public schools were represented in auditions with judges narrowing the field down to the final acts, representing nine schools.

To hear the interview with Terri Hedrick, Andrew Markoch and the VCHS students in its entirety, click here. The VCS segment begins at the 11:30 mark.

Vance Co. Schools Announces Upcoming End-of-Year Activities

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-Press Release, Vance County Schools
Vance County schools have a variety of events planned as this school year enters its last two months of instruction and activities with our students.
More events are being planned, but below are a few that are currently scheduled:
  • April 10, 9-11:30 a.m. at Dabney Elementary – second-grade students attend presentations made by local firemen
  • April 12, 8:30-11:30 a.m. at Zeb Vance Elementary – Career Day event for students with representatives from several local businesses on hand
  • April 24, 5-6:30 p.m. at the Henderson Country Club – the school system’s annual Volunteer/Business Partner Recognition Reception
  • April 27, Arts Alive Talent Showcase at McGregor Hall – master classes for students from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.; students’ artwork on display beginning at 3 p.m.; show featuring at least 20 performing groups or individuals, all students in our schools, begins at 7 p.m.
  • May 20, 6:30 p.m. – our school system honors our top high school graduates at our “Evening of Academic Excellence” in the Civic Center at VGCC
  • May 23, 6 p.m. – Class of 2019 graduation ceremony for Early College High School in Civic Center at VGCC
  • June 6, 6 p.m. – Class of 2019 graduation ceremony for AdVance Academy in McGregor Hall
  • June 8, 9 a.m. – Class of 2019 graduation ceremony for Vance County High School in the gymnasium at Vance County Middle School
  • June 12, 6 p.m. – our school system’s annual Retirement Banquet at the Henderson Country Club

VGCC to Offer Open House at All Four Campuses

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Vance-Granville Community College will hold an Open House on Saturday, April 6, 2019, from 9 a.m. until noon, at all four of its campuses.

VGCC staff members and faculty will be available during those hours to provide information on the enrollment process, academic programs and student support services. Visitors will also be able to take campus tours.

The Summer 2019 term begins May 20, while the Fall 2019 semester starts on August 19.

Prospective students are encouraged to pre-register for Open House (and select the campus they plan to visit) at www.vgcc.edu/openhouse.

VGCC’s Main Campus is located at 200 Community College Road, Henderson (Exit 209 on Interstate 85, about midway between Henderson and Oxford).

The Franklin County Campus is located at 8100 N.C. 56., Louisburg (just west of Louisburg).

South Campus is located at 1547 South Campus Drive, Creedmoor (off of N.C. 56, between Creedmoor and Butner).

The Warren County Campus is located at 210 West Ridgeway Street (U.S. 158 Business) in Warrenton.

For more information on enrolling, call (252) 738-3234 or visit any campus.