Southern Vance National Technical Honor Society Coat Drive 2017

Vance County Proud

 

Students who are members of the National Technical Honor Society at Southern Vance High School are shown in the accompanying photo with some of the coats they collected in their Coat Drive for needy families in Vance County. The coats have been given to Salvation Army representatives to distribute to needy families. The students include, seated from left, Adriana Evans, Imani Perry, Onjahlaya Robinson and Megan Bass. On the back row, from left, are Xavier Wilson, Jacob May, Chermella Durham, Joshua Williams, Kailee Ball, Gabriella Ventura and Robert Susewell. (VCS Photo)

Kerr Tar Regional Council of Governments

Kerr Tar Council Of Government Update 12/13/17

Home and Garden Show 12/12/17

Wake Electric grant provides technology for VGCC Library

— courtesy VGCC

A grant that Wake Electric Membership Corporation awarded to Vance-Granville Community College has been used for a project to provide enhanced technology for students in the Library on the college’s Main Campus in Vance County.

The $3,000 Classroom Technology grant purchased three 48-inch LED smart TV monitors allowing for large-screen displays in each of three study rooms in the library, as well as a Microsoft Surface tablet device that can also be used by students in those study rooms.

“We are very excited that our students can now use this interactive technology in our library to help them study and succeed in their classes,” said VGCC Director of Library Services Elaine Stem, who applied for the grant. “Our study room usage has doubled in the past year, and I know this new technology will only increase the demand for the study space.”

Stem explained that the rooms previously had 19-inch monitors, which were not well-suited for use by groups of students, or even by individual students needing high-quality visual representations. “We are very appreciative to Wake Electric for supporting VGCC students,” Stem added.

Whitney Duke of Henderson, a student in the VGCC Associate Degree Nursing program, uses one of the new monitors to study bones in a study room at the VGCC Main Campus Library. (VGCC photo)

Wake Electric awards Classroom Technology grants to public K-12 schools and community colleges in its service area. The funds for the grants come from WEMC members who agree to round up their light bill to the nearest whole dollar through the “Operation RoundUp” program. Wake Electric is a non-profit electric utility serving over 42,500 consumers in parts of Durham, Franklin, Granville, Johnston, Nash, Vance, and Wake counties.

For more information on library services at VGCC, call (252) 738-3279 or visit library.vgcc.edu.

–VGCC–

(VGCC is an advertising client of WIZS.)

Vance County Early College High School Student to attend the Congress of Future Medical Leaders

— courtesy Vance County Schools

Emani Foster, a student at the Vance County Early College High School, has been selected to attend the Congress of Future Medical Leaders to be held June 25-27, 2018, in Boston, Massachusetts.

Foster was selected for participation in the prestigious Congress by representatives of the national Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

She was chosen for the high recognition based on her outstanding academic record, leadership potential and her desire to become a physician or medical scientist.

The Congress of Future Medical Leaders is an academic honors program with strict requirements, including a minimum 3.5 grade point average.

(Vance County Schools Photo)

Home and Garden Show 12/05/17

Vance County Schools 12/04/17

SGA leaders take office at VGCC

— courtesy VGCC

Vance-Granville Community College’s Student Government Association (SGA) has installed a group of officers to serve during the 2017-2018 year.

The officers, elected by VGCC students earlier in the fall semester, include President Sovanny “Sophie” Taylor of Louisburg, Vice-President Aaron Williams of Kittrell, Secretary/Treasurer Brianna Barnes of Manson, Parliamentarian Jai Butts of Durham, and Public Information Officer Fakea Walker of Oxford. All five are students in the College Transfer program at VGCC. Taylor and Williams are both Franklin County Early College High School students.

VGCC Student Government Association officers for 2017-2018 include, from left, Public Information Officer Fakea Walker, Secretary/Treasurer Brianna Barnes, President Sovanny “Sophie” Taylor, Parliamentarian Jai Butts and Vice-President Aaron Williams. (VGCC photo)

As SGA president, Taylor is also the student trustee, representing the interests of her fellow students at all meetings of the VGCC Board of Trustees.

The Student Government Association is designed to promote the general welfare of the college in a democratic fashion and to facilitate communication among the student body, the faculty, and the administration. SGA also provides a means through which students can promote interest in student activities, both on and off campus. For more information on SGA, contact Jermiel Hargrove, coordinator of Student Activities and Athletics, at (252) 738-3246.

–VGCC–

(VGCC is an advertising client of WIZS.)

E.M. Rollins Chorus Learns from the Best

— courtesy Vance County Schools

Sally Albrecht, a nationally known music clinician, composer and choreographer who lives in Raleigh, spent time with fifth-grade students in the chorus at E.M. Rollins Elementary School on November 30.

Albrecht, who is a friend and colleague in the Northeast Piedmont Chorale of the students’ music teacher, Cindy Edwards, came to the school to help the students work on their choreography for one of the songs she has written that the students plan to perform.

Albrecht volunteered her time to work with the students on their facial expressions, hand gestures and dance steps. She is well known for her expertise in working with upper elementary and middle school students.

Edwards noted that she and Albrecht have known each other for many years and she has had her students, including those she taught as the choral director at Northern Vance High School, sing and perform many of Albrecht’s songs over the years.

Albrecht is shown with the E.M. Rollins students. She is at the far right in the group photo with the 18 students and Edwards, who is standing at the far left.

VGCC updates high school officials

— courtesy VGCC

Administrators and guidance counselors from area high schools recently met at Vance-Granville Community College to learn more about what the college offers, including new opportunities for students. Representatives of schools in Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties were invited to attend the update meeting, held on Oct. 26 in the Civic Center on the college’s Main Campus.

In welcoming remarks, VGCC Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Levy Brown thanked the educators for collaborating and communicating with the college. “I’m hopeful that we will continue to foster and strategically grow our partnerships to make postsecondary education attainment a reality for students in our four counties,” Brown said. “Ultimately, we desire for all of our students to be successful.”

VGCC Director of Admissions Spence Bailey addresses high school representatives. (VGCC photo)

VGCC Director of Admissions Spence Bailey followed with a presentation in which he traced his own journey from being a student at J.F. Webb High School in Oxford to attending VGCC for two years and then transferring to East Carolina University to complete a bachelor’s degree. “I’ve experienced firsthand what Vance-Granville can do for an individual,” Bailey noted. He encouraged the educators to think of VGCC as a “first choice” for their students, because of its affordability, its supportive environment that helps students succeed, and its engaging student activities that encourage leadership development.

Next, Kathy Ktul, VGCC’s registrar, gave attendees information on the new North Carolina Residency Determination Service (RDS) and how it impacts college admissions. Jeremy Lambert, assistant director of financial aid, discussed various forms of assistance, including scholarships. The college’s new VanGuarantee scholarship program is designed to cover tuition, student fees and/or textbooks for eligible students in the four-county area whose financial needs are unmet by federal financial aid and other means of support.

In a similar vein, VGCC Dean of Arts and Sciences Cynthia Grissom-Young discussed the College Transfer program, which allows students to complete the first two years of a bachelor’s degree without racking up large amounts of debt. She estimated, for example, that a North Carolina resident saves $34,126 by attending VGCC for two years rather than attending a state-supported university such as East Carolina University for his or her freshman and sophomore years. “It’s important for students to understand this and to stretch their education dollars as far as possible,” Grissom-Young said. She explained how the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (CAA) between the state’s community college system and the UNC System and the Independent Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (CAA) between community colleges and private four-year institutions provide students with clear pathways to four-year degrees.

VGCC Fine Arts and Humanities Department Chair Betsy Henderson informed educators about the college’s new Associate in Fine Arts – Visual Arts degree. That program now has its own statewide articulation agreement, allowing VGCC graduates to transfer to seven public universities, where they can complete bachelor’s degrees in art or studio art. “We have so many talented young artists in our communities,” Henderson said. “Send those students to us, and they can start their arts education here with excellent instructors and affordable tuition.”

Reba Bullock, the college liaison for Granville Early College High School and point of contact for VGCC’s joint high school programs, discussed Career & College Promise (CCP), which allows eligible high school students to earn college credits through several different structured pathways, without having to pay tuition. Bullock said most pathways are for high school juniors and seniors, but some are available to ninth- and tenth-grade students, as well.

Students and parents interested in CCP should contact their high school counselors or the following VGCC staff: for Franklin County students, Evelyn Hall at halle@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3611; for Granville County students, Reba Bullock at bullockr@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3525; for Vance County students: Evangeline Mitchell at mitchelle@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3289; and for Warren County students: Faye Goode at goodef@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3594.

–VGCC–

(VGCC is an advertising client of WIZS.)