High School students explore health sciences at two VGCC campuses

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High school students from across the region recently attended “Mini-Medical School” camps organized by the Wake Area Health Education Center (AHEC) in partnership with Vance-Granville Community College. The camp was held first in June at VGCC’s South Campus, located between Butner and Creedmoor, and in July at the college’s Franklin County Campus, just outside Louisburg. Between the two locations, 44 students completed the program.

This was the college’s fourth summer partnering with Wake AHEC on the Mini-Medical School, which is an intensive, week-long day camp that uses computational science (computer simulation) and hands-on activities to study key aspects of medicine.

Students learned about topics that included anatomy and physiology, bioprocessing, biochemistry, pharmacology, cardiology, epidemiology, medical genetics and genomics. The course was taught primarily by Becky Brady, a registered nurse and chemical engineer. VGCC Bioprocess Technology program head/instructor Dr. Tara Hamilton also taught a session at each camp.

Faculty members from VGCC programs that prepare students for health-related careers — including Nursing, Medical Assisting, Radiography, Pharmacy Technology and Human Services Technology — gave students information about academic pathways and employment prospects and conducted hands-on activities on the last day of the camp.

Students not only had a chance to learn about careers and hone their science skills, but they also became certified in CPR and Youth Mental Health First Aid during the course of the program.

The students who completed the school at South Campus included Connor Frutos of Apex Friendship High School; Nicole Newton of Bluestone High in Skipwith, Virginia; Alexis Watt of Bunn High School; Jaimes Veneziale of Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh; Joshua Bringas-Garcia and Victoria Shaw, both of Cary High School; Ian Foley of East Chapel Hill High School; Aaryaan Shaik of Enloe High School in Raleigh; Jace Johnson and Colson Teal, both of Falls Lake Academy in Creedmoor; Abigail Thomas of Franklin Academy in Wake Forest; Harrison Gibson of Franklinton High School; William Stevenson of Grace Christian School in Raleigh; Daniel Asanov, Megan Gregg and Melissa Hierman, all of Green Hope High School in Cary; Kiara Glydell Gamayot of Knightdale High School; Beth Yakaboski of Middle Creek High School in Apex; Sridhanueshwar Devanand of Panther Creek High School in Cary; Hayley Smith of Person High School; Sampath Petchetti of Raleigh Charter High School; Zorriah Raynor of Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School; Meredith Elliott and Emily Wright, both of South Granville High School; Eshaa Vijay of Triangle Math & Science Academy in Cary; Phuan Deshazo of Voyager Academy in Durham; and Andrew Keeton of J.F. Webb High School in Oxford.

Those who completed the program at Franklin Campus included Hunter English of Bunn High School; Bethany Melega of Chapel Hill High School; Craig Geter of East Wake High School; Maia Sichitiu and Ayaon Yadav, both of Enloe High School in Raleigh; Robyn Hamilton, Jarrod Hubbell, Amanda Murray and Sabrina Smith, all of Franklinton High School; Juan Castro and Emely Pacheco, both of Friendship Christian School in Raleigh; Ivan Alvarez of Heritage High School in Wake Forest; Patricia Beasley of Longleaf School of the Arts in Raleigh; Madeline Stallsmith of Oxford Preparatory School; Anika Palekar of Panther Creek High School in Cary; Yanni-Taylor Shaw of Ravenscroft School in Raleigh; and Dalia Leggard of Wake STEM Early College High School.

Wake AHEC serves nine counties in central North Carolina from its office in Raleigh: Durham, Franklin, Granville, Johnston, Lee, Person, Vance, Wake, and Warren counties. AHECs are located throughout North Carolina and are affiliated with the North Carolina Area Health Education Centers Program at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill School of Medicine. The mission of the statewide AHEC Program is to meet the state’s health and health workforce needs. NC AHEC provides educational programs and services that bridge academic institutions and communities to improve the health of the people of North Carolina with a focus on underserved populations.

–VGCC–

L.B. Yancey Wins School of the Year

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L.B. Yancey Elementary School won the “School of the Year” award presented at the end of the school system’s Convocation for all employees at McGregor Hall in Henderson on August 17.

 

Superintendent Anthony Jackson presented the award to Dr. Carnetta Thomas, principal of L.B. Yancey.

 

The school captured the honor for its outstanding year in student achievements, positive school climate, cooperation and cohesion of the school staff members and involvement in its community.

 

Thomas holds the award and is joined by school staff members in the photo.

Pinkston Street Elementary staff take home VCS Spirit Award

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Pinkston Street Elementary staff members won the “Spirit Award” for Vance County Schools at the district’s Convocation for all employees on August 17.

 

Staff members were recognized as recipients of the award after their fantastic job in showing great school spirit as they were introduced at the Convocation in McGregor Hall.

 

All staff members wore “Pinkston Street Army” t-shirts, completed in Army green with gold lettering, and joined in a rousing cheer to show they are ready to begin the 2017-2018 school year.

 

They were led by Principal Heddie Somerville and Assistant Principal Jacqueline Crosson. They are shown in the photo, from left, with Principal Carnetta Thomas of L.B. Yancey Elementary School.

 

Superintendent Anthony Jackson presented Somerville with the large “VCS Spirit Award” pencil that is given to the school displaying the best school spirit at the event.

 

Staff members at Eaton-Johnson Middle School and Henderson Middle School, finished second and third, respectively, in the judging for the “VCS Spirit Award.”

Guest speakers discuss home health careers with VGCC Nursing students

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Vance-Granville Community College Practical Nursing students recently learned more about the home health career field from representatives of Well Care Home Health, who visited the college’s Main Campus in late July.

The company, based in Wilmington, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. “Well Care is a unique company in providing home health,” Clinical Coordinator Mary O’Shea, a registered nurse, told the students. “It is an independent, family-owned business that is not affiliated with a major hospital, and it’s one of the few five-star-rated quality home health agencies in the state.” O’Shea said Well Care has grown dramatically over the years and now serves 42 counties in North Carolina, including the VGCC service area. “It’s awesome to be part of an organization that strives for excellence all the time,” O’Shea added. 

O’Shea said she could identify with the students, who were close to graduating, recalling that she graduated from the Watts School of Nursing in Durham. “I admire you guys for sticking with it,” she told them. “Nursing has given me a great career over 25 years, and I’ve always been able to find a job that allowed me to fulfill my family responsibilities. I don’t know a lot of professions could say that they did that.” O’Shea said that about half of her career has been in the home health field. “Home health is a really unique animal,” she said. “There isn’t another part of nursing where you go into someone’s home, where you’re invited into their home.”

She explained that Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) “have a vital role in the home health world” and often perform tasks, such as complicated wound dressings, that only registered nurses would perform in a hospital setting. O’Shea noted that Well Care home health nurses generally see each patient three times a week. “You arrange your schedule for each day’s various home visits, and are paid per visit,” she said.

Next, Well Care Human Resources Recruiter Kendra Dillingham addressed students and offered tips on obtaining jobs, including interviews, resumes and communicating with potential employers, as well as specific details about careers at her company. She said that one of the advantages of a home health career is that nurses have opportunities to get to know their patients very well. “Something I love about the health care community is that you all have so many opportunities to switch types of work and types of patients you work with,” Dillingham said. She added that computer skills are important for employment as a Well Care nurse because her company uses electronic medical records “100 percent.”

The three-semester VGCC Practical Nursing diploma program prepares individuals to provide nursing care to meet the health care needs of the individual throughout their lifespan. The role of the LPN is a dependent role under the supervision of the registered nurse (RN) and other health-care providers approved by North Carolina law. Graduates of the program are eligible to apply to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN), which is required for practice as a Licensed Practical Nurse. Employment opportunities include hospitals, rehabilitation/long term care/home health facilities, clinics, and physicians’ offices. For more information, contact VGCC Nursing Department Chair Erica Jastrow at jastrowe@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3457.

–VGCC–

VGCC schedules Sewing class at Main Campus

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Vance-Granville Community College will soon offer a “Beginning Sewing” class on the college’s Main Campus in Vance County. The course, taught by Carol Montague of Oxford, is scheduled to be held on Monday evenings from 6-9 p.m., Sept. 11 through Nov. 27, in room 5203 (Building 5).

Sewing has always been a part of Carol Montague’s life. From the time she was very young, she remembers taking naps under her father’s work table. He was a canvas awning maker, cutting and sewing his work on a large, room-sized table. In 2002, she opened her business, called Hen and Chicks Sewing School. Both adults and children have benefitted from her classes, taught at her home and at the Oxford Housing Authority. She has also held numerous fashion shows at assisted living facilities, churches, her home, and the Oxford Housing Authority. Montague enjoys having her students give back to the community by donating hand-made items to the Durham Ronald McDonald House, making dresses for children for Haiti and comfort caps for cancer patients.

Montague believes in equipping the current generation with skills that have become too often ignored. “The value of sewing for yourself and others comes in many forms,” she said. “Unique and personalized gifts, clothing alteration, hard-to-find modest clothing, wearability, and one-of-a-kind clothing and crafts are just a few of the many advantages of learning to sew.”

Sewing is a life-skill, she added. “Adults learn drafting design skills by making or adjusting their own patterns, cutting skills, the value of precision work and how to combine color,” Montague said. “Students will be able to identify quality craftsmanship in ready-to-wear garments and spot hastily-made clothing fashioned out of cheap materials. They will be able to repair purchased items that need ‘fixing.’ Many have made a business out of the skill of sewing.”

The cost of the class is $80. Students will need to provide their own materials, a list of which will be provided. The deadline to register is Sept. 4.

Registration can be completed online at www.vgcc.edu/schedules/personal-enrichment or at any VGCC campus. For more information, contact Gail Clark at (252) 738-3385 or ped@vgcc.edu.

–VGCC–

VGCC ranked in top 20 online colleges in North Carolina

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A national organization has recognized Vance-Granville Community College as one of the top 20 colleges in North Carolina offering online programs. California-based OnlineColleges.com ranked VGCC 19th on a list that included both two-year and four-year institutions of higher learning. Among just the two-year colleges, VGCC ranked tenth-highest.

“Focusing on affordability, student services, and the availability of online programs, we used the most recent government data to evaluate colleges and universities across the country,” said OnlineColleges.com representative Kelly Rivett of the way in which her organization ranks institutions. The website reported that 52.9% of VGCC students took some or all of their courses online, according to data collected in 2015.

OnlineColleges.com is a resource for people who want reliable information about online colleges and degree programs. Its stated mission is “to empower students with knowledge about distance education.” Interactive tools on the website allow students to filter close to 3,000 colleges by state, tuition, school type, military benefits and religious affiliation.

VGCC has expanded its online course offerings in recent years. In 2015, the college launched the VOLT (Vanguard Online Learning through Technology) initiative, primarily with working adults in mind. Through VOLT, six two-year degree programs are now offered 100-percent online — Associate in Arts and Associate in Science (both also known as “College Transfer”), Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Medical Office Administration – Coding Specialist, and Supply Chain Management. In addition, students can take online courses in combination with traditional face-to-face courses to complete any VGCC degree program.

A number of 12-week online classes will begin on Sept. 12. For more information on enrollment, call VGCC at (252) 738-3330 or visit www.vgcc.edu.

–VGCC–

Home and Garden Show 08/15/17

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VGCC students inducted into NC A&T Nursing partnership program

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GREENSBORO — Eleven Vance-Granville Community College students were formally inducted into the North Carolina Piedmont “Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate Nurses” (RIBN) program in a ceremony on Aug. 4 at North Carolina A&T State University’s Union Square Campus in Greensboro. RIBN is a partnership involving the university, VGCC, Davidson County Community College and Guilford Technical Community College.

At the induction ceremony, the A&T School of Nursing welcomed students from VGCC and the other community colleges who will be simultaneously enrolled at the university. RIBN students earn associate’s degrees in nursing over three years (while also taking A&T courses online) and then continue for one year of additional courses at A&T required for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.

This year’s inductees from VGCC included Caliegh Katz and Sarah Riley, both of Creedmoor; Chiatyra Turner of Ebony, Va.; Henrry Reboccar-Miguel and Alexis Williams, both of Franklinton; Nigoria Alston and Dawson Peoples, both of Henderson; Rachel Spall of Kittrell; Jessica Morris of Oxford; Kati Hand of Wilton; and Joshua Miller of Zebulon.

Erica Jastrow, the Nursing department chair for VGCC, pinned a “RIBN ribbon” on each of the college’s student inductees as part of the ceremony, while Academic/Career Coach Seletha Pherribo read a brief biography of each one.

With 11 out of the 18 students selected for this year’s cohort, VGCC had more inductees than the other two community colleges in the partnership, combined. In 2016, the first year of the RIBN partnership, the initial cohort consisted of three students, one from each community college.

The North Carolina Piedmont RIBN initiative is one of nine such partnerships that have been launched in North Carolina since 2008 under the direction of the Foundation for Nursing Excellence (FFNE) to increase the educational preparation of North Carolina’s nursing workforce.

VGCC Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Levy Brown was on hand for the ceremony and made brief remarks. “Students, we are very proud of you for taking this huge step,” Brown said. He encouraged the inductees to maintain their current levels of “enthusiasm, commitment and persistence” in order to be successful.

In closing remarks, Dr. Terry Ward, director of the A&T School of Nursing, applauded the students and said she was excited by the diversity that they represent. She also recalled that she started her own education at a community college, but there was nothing like RIBN at that time to help create a straightforward pathway to completing a bachelor’s degree. “We have developed a program which will allow you to move down this path of higher education seamlessly, setting you up for the awesome success that you desire,” Ward said. Using the metaphor of tying a ribbon, she added, “Today represents you tying yourselves together with us and with your colleagues to meet the needs in our communities for nurses. You are the future of nursing.”

In addition to RIBN, VGCC has a partnership with A&T to allow graduates of its Associate Degree Nursing program to transition easily to the university’s four-year Bachelor’s program. For more information about Nursing at VGCC and bachelor’s degree options, contact academic/career coach Seletha Pherribo at (252) 738-3518 or instructor Heather Wilson at (252) 738-3393.

–VGCC–

VGCC Practical Nursing graduates receive pins

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Vance-Granville Community College honored 16 students who have completed its one-year Practical Nursing program during a pinning ceremony on Aug. 2 in the Civic Center on the college’s Main Campus. Upon receiving diplomas, graduates of the program are eligible to sit for the national exam for licensed practical nurses (NCLEX-PN).

Among the graduates recognized at the ceremony were Victoria Adesina, Christine Atieno and Kristen Clay, all of Durham; Melissa Liming of Franklinton; Christina Basnight, Frank McGhee, Jr., Antonea Nowell and Katlyn Waddell, all of Henderson; Amy Bass of Louisburg; Frances Beddingfield of Oxford; Veronicah Nyakego of Raleigh; Mariana Ascencio and James Simpson, both of Roxboro; Rashida Washington of Stem; Rachael Basham and Gabrielle Hernandez, both of Wake Forest.

In his welcoming remarks, Dr. Levy Brown, the college’s interim vice president of academic affairs, congratulated the students on completing the rigorous program, which included precepting rotations at local health-care facilities. “With their completion of the Practical Nursing program, we are excited to watch these graduates go out into the world as Vanguard nurses,” Brown said. “Having come this far, many members of this class plan to continue their education in our LPN to ADN Transition program, for licensure as an RN, and then continue for a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing. Several would like to obtain a Master’s degree in order to work as Nurse Practitioners.”

VGCC Nursing Department Chair Erica Jastrow added her congratulations to the graduates on their success. “With success comes great responsibility,” she said. “These students will have the responsibility of preparing for a challenging licensing exam, and then keeping their patients safe, caring for them as if they were their own family members, and working with their team members to create a positive work environment. I am confident that they will accept these responsibilities and will excel in them.” She thanked students for their dedication and their family members and friends for supporting the graduates.

Antonea Nowell, the class president, made remarks on behalf of her fellow students. “To our faculty, we extend a special ‘thank you’ and a debt of gratitude for helping us reach our goals to become nurses,” Nowell said. “I want to congratulate my classmates. I feel honored to have been able to grow with you. We pushed through, encouraging and inspiring one another along the way. Some of us had to work full-time jobs, raise our children and travel over an hour to class, but we overcame every obstacle to make it to this moment that marks the beginning of our future.”

Kathy Bray, a longtime VGCC clinical nursing instructor and registered nurse, served as the guest speaker. She told the graduates that the mission of the nurse has three important qualities: caring, advocacy and empathy. “Caring begins with caring for yourself,” Bray advised. “If you’re not taking care of yourself, physically, emotionally and spiritually, chances are you will not be able to give optimal care to others.… Don’t forget the little things. That’s what patients and families and remember. Always greet your patient with a smile.”

Of the second component, advocacy, Bray said: “You may be called upon to provide emotional support. Outside of their families, you may be the most trusted person in the eyes of the patient.” Finally, she said that “empathy is the ability to understand another’s experience, to communicate and confirm that understanding to the patient, and then act in a helpful manner. Empathy begins when a nurse takes his or her profession seriously. The empathetic nurse views nursing not as a job or a task, but as a service to others.”

The ceremonies concluded with the graduates receiving their distinctive pins, roses and lamps. Finally, instructor Crystal Senter led the group in reciting the “Florence Nightingale Pledge” by candlelight.

–VGCC–

 

Home and Garden Show 08/08/17

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