The Masonic Home for Children at Oxford is building on the foundations of success. A master plan has been developed and includes options for service and program development. You are invited to the Cobb Center at MHCO on Friday 1/6/17 from 3pm-6pm for a meet and greet. Please join us to discuss possible plans, provide your feedback, and continue to build together for the betterment of our children.
Longtime Vance-Granville Community College faculty member Jacquelin Heath was recently honored with the Cardinal Award from North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory as she prepared to retire. The award was presented to her by the president of VGCC, Dr. Stelfanie Williams, at a holiday social held Dec. 15, at which Heath and other recent retirees were recognized.
A resident of Henderson, Heath is retiring on Dec. 31 with a longer tenure than any retiree in the history of the college: 40 years and three months. She has served for most of those years as head of the School-Age Education program.
The Cardinal Award is a prestigious honor that recognizes individuals who have contributed at least 30 years of exemplary public service to the state of North Carolina.
“Many recognitions may come in life, but one from the state of North Carolina stands as one of the highlights,” Heath said. “The Cardinal Award was a wonderful surprise. During my employment, I didn’t think about who would get the credit. I just wanted to get the job done.”
She added that receiving this award in front of her colleagues made it even more meaningful. “I am grateful for many things in life, but most blessed by being a member of the Vance-Granville Community College family,” Heath said.
Heath joined the faculty at VGCC on Sept. 15, 1976, when the college’s Main Campus was brand-new, and the institution had only recently made the transition from a technical institute to a comprehensive community college. In her four decades at VGCC, she has served with all six of the college’s presidents.
“The Cardinal Award is a fitting tribute to Jackie’s devotion to VGCC and to education,” said Dr. Williams. “Not only has she directly educated, inspired and supported countless students who went on to successful careers in public schools and other organizations, but she has also been a champion of community involvement that connects VGCC to other educational institutions and local partners.”
Heath served as the advisor for the Student North Carolina Association of Educators at VGCC for 31 years, which she founded as the first community college chapter in the state; as a long-time member of the National Education Association; as a member of the board of directors for the Tar Heel branch of the American Association of University Women and of the national AAUW; and as a member of the Henderson-Vance County Human Relations Commission for nine years. She has presented at the annual conference of the North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs; been a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s Nu Chi Omega Chapter with 27 consecutive years of membership; served as co-chair of VGCC’s Faculty and Staff Drive for its Endowment Fund; served with Head Start, the United Way of Vance County and Spring Street Baptist Church; and volunteered with community partners like the Boys & Girls Clubs and the Masonic Home for Children in Oxford to strengthen local efforts to educate children.
During the holiday social, VGCC Education Department Chair Tracey Bennett Carter also announced that the college’s Arts & Sciences division had made a contribution to the Vance County unit of the Boys & Girls Clubs in her honor.
Heath earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Early Childhood Education in 1974 from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University and her Master of Science in Education with a Concentration in Early Childhood Education from N.C. A&T in 1975. She also completed additional graduate studies at North Carolina Central University in 1982.
Heath has been awarded the Director’s Award of Achievement by the North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs, which recognized her for accomplishments including the implementation of “Upping Your Afterschool Game,” a training program. Her School-Age Education program was honored multiple times as a “Friend of Education” by Vance County Schools for its work placing students in local schools for internships. Under her leadership, Vance-Granville’s chapter of Student North Carolina Association of Educators was given the Membership Growth Award for its efforts to build the organization. Heath has been published twice in the National Education Association’s national magazine. She has also been named VGCC’s instructor of the year for the Division of Arts & Sciences.
Nicole Anderson and Karen Reece have led a tremendous Angel Tree project at E.O. Young Jr. Elementary School that is helping to make the holidays a joyous time for over 75 students at the school.
Anderson, the school’s counselor, and Reece, the school’s social worker, have worked closely with school staff members, community supporters and church partners over the last two months to collect donations of toys, other gifts and food, for needy students and their families.
They have worked together to deliver the many bags of gifts and boxes of food donated to the students’ homes. In many cases, even younger siblings not yet in school have been given new clothing and gifts.
“Doing something like this makes you feel that you are doing the right thing,” Anderson said. “It fills your heart.”
Reece added that all of the hard work is worth it when you see the smiles on the students’ faces.
“When we gave them the letters to take home to their parents to let them know we wanted to help them, we had to tell the students that these were good letters and they weren’t in trouble,” Reece laughed. “It’s been a really rewarding experience and we so appreciate the support we’ve gotten from everyone.”
They said they want to especially thank the generous members of Flat Rock United Methodist Church and Guiding Star Holiness Church for their many donations to the students and their families.
“We’ve had wonderful donations from our school staff members, but without the help of these two great churches the success of the project wouldn’t have been possible,” Anderson said.
On the last day of school before the Christmas break on December 20, Anderson and Reece still had a few more gifts to deliver and they planned to do just that over the next couple of days.
“What a great thing for our students and their families,” Anderson added. “We are so fortunate to have such a caring school family.”
Anderson, left, and Reece, right, are shown in the accompanying photo with the last gifts scheduled for delivery.
Members of the Vance County Board of Education were joined by people from throughout the school system and local community in honoring Emeron J. Cash Sr. on December 12 as he retired after 24 years of service on the board.
They attended a nice reception held in the Administrative Services Center prior to the board’s regular monthly meeting to pay tribute to the former teacher, coach and retiring board member. During the reception and at the beginning of the meeting, colleagues, educators and friends visited with Cash, his wife, Patricia, and their son, Chris. They all praised a man who has dedicated his life to helping youth across Vance County and beyond.
Gloria J. White, chairwoman of the board, presented Cash with a resolution by the board recognizing his many contributions. She also joined Superintendent Anthony Jackson with
giving him a handsome, framed collage featuring his many achievements over the years. He also received a wooden, rocking chair with the school system’s seal engraved on the headrest. Vance County Commissioner Dan Brummitt gave Cash a framed certificate of appreciation from his board.
White led comments shared with the audience at the meeting in praising Cash as a great colleague and someone who truly cares about children and education.
Cash thanked everyone for their support over the years and for the many gifts he was presented.
Chris Cash also spoke and thanked everyone for their great relationships and positive work with his father.
The Vance-Granville Community College Small Business Center is offering a free seminar, entitled “Hit the Ground Running in 2017,” on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at CenturyLink in Wake Forest.
Mike McConchie of Creedmoor will serve as the instructor. The owner of M&M Consultants, Inc., McConchie is a Certified Business Coach and a Senior Business Consultant. He has over 36 years of retail management experience and is the past president of the Granville County Chamber of Commerce.
According to McConchie, the seminar will help small business owners “create their own destiny for 2017.” Among his topics will be “how to set up your business for success, establish and clarify your 2017 goals, and establish a plan of attack.” He added that attendees would “learn how to identify gaps in performance and results and develop a plan to close the gaps and achieve your goals.”
In addition to CenturyLink, the seminar is presented by VGCC in partnership with the Greater Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, the Franklin County Economic Development Commission, and North Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation.
Lunch will be provided at no charge to attendees who register in advance. To reserve a seat, contact Lori Duke at lduke@franklincountync.us or 919-554-1863. The deadline to RSVP is Jan. 6, 2017.
Vance-Granville Community College’s Student Government Association (SGA) has installed a group of officers to serve during the 2016-2017 year.
Elected officers include President Colton Hayes of Epsom, a student in the College Transfer program through Franklin County Early College High School; Vice President Jeronee Blackwell of Henderson, a College Transfer/Vance County Early College High School student; Secretary/Treasurer Emory Gant-Hawkins of Henderson, a Business Administration student; Parliamentarian Francis Scotland of Oxford, a College Transfer student; and Public Information Officer Micah Roberts of Stem, a College Transfer student.
Students appointed to other offices include Jasmine Allen, Xavier Perry and Autumn Richardson, all of Henderson and all College Transfer/Vance County Early College High School students, along with Michelle McKinnon of Kittrell, a College Transfer student. Perry is assistant public information officer and will soon assume the Public Information Officer position from Roberts when he transfers to continue his education at the four-year level. Richardson is lead campus senator, and Allen and McKinnon are also senators.
As SGA president, Hayes is also the student trustee, representing the interests of his fellow students at all meetings of the VGCC Board of Trustees. He is the first student from an Early College High School ever elected to serve in this leadership role at VGCC.
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.
Vance-Granville Community College hosted admissions officers from four-year colleges and universities on Dec. 8 on VGCC’s Main Campus. The event was VGCC’s annual “College Day,” which allows students to obtain important information about transfer requirements, financial aid and scholarships that can help them take the next steps in their educational journeys.
The VGCC Student Learning and Success Center organized the fair in partnership with the Carolinas Association of Collegiate Registrars & Admissions Officers (CACRAO).
VGCC students browsed through displays, picked up informational materials, and talked with representatives from 18 four-year schools. Almost all of the represented colleges and universities were from North Carolina.
Each year, large numbers of students start their higher education at VGCC before transferring to four-year institutions. VGCC has numerous articulation agreements with four-year schools (both public and private) that allow students to transfer credits in various programs.
The VGCC College Transfer program provides students with the first two years of a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. College Transfer courses are offered at all four VGCC campuses and online. In recent years, the comprehensive articulation agreements between all North Carolina community colleges, the UNC System and the private N.C. Independent Colleges and Universities have been revised with clearer pathways. Graduates of the Associate in Arts and Associate in Science programs at VGCC are guaranteed admission into one of the 16 UNC schools, typically transferring in with the standing of juniors.
High school students in one of the four Early College programs operated by VGCC in partnership with local public school systems can earn up to two years of college-transferable credit, tuition-free. Likewise, eligible students at other high schools and homeschools can take free College Transfer courses through the “Career and College Promise” (CCP) program.
The Spring 2017 semester starts Monday, Jan. 9, 2017. For more information on enrolling at VGCC and transfer options, contact the Student Learning and Success Center at studentsuccess@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3330, or visit any campus.
Vance-Granville Community College and the Advanced Manufacturing Skills Training Alliance (AMSTA) recently partnered to hold a five-part “Rover-Bot” Workshop for area teachers. The series was held on Thursday evenings in October and November in the electronics lab at VGCC’s South Campus, where the Electronics Engineering Technology program is based.
In the workshop, VGCC Engineering Technologies program head Wesley Williams taught the educators about basic electronics and programming while they assembled a “rover” robot, a small, autonomous moving vehicle. The Rover-Bot has two battery-powered motors that move independently, so it is driven like a tank, Williams explained. “Over the course of the workshop, we built the rover and learned how to drive it with a platform called Arduino, which is basically a small computer,” Williams said. “We then incorporated sensors that would activate based on light and temperature and other features. The teachers really enjoyed the building process and the hands-on nature of the class. They said they want to incorporate what they learned in their own classrooms, so I gave them links to more information and ideas.”
According to AMSTA Project Manager Stephanie Ayers, “the goal of the Rover-Bot workshop was to expand teachers’ knowledge of robotics and enable them to sponsor robotics clubs in their school or implement project-based learning in their classroom.”
Among those who attended all or part of the series were: Beverly Spivey-Judkins from Franklinton High School; Kelly Dixon and Fred Reed, both from Granville Central High School; Marva Burrell-Smith from J.F. Webb High School (Granville County); Kevin W. Moran and Traci Branch, both from Mt. Energy Elementary School (Granville County); Audra Neunkirchner from Northern Granville Middle School; Penny Collins and Pamela Huff, both from Northern Vance High School; and Henry Bobbitt from Warren County High School. Each teacher received continuing education credits for attending.
AMSTA is a partnership involving VGCC and the public school systems in Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties, who work together to prepare students in the region for careers in manufacturing. A grant from the North Carolina Education and Workforce Innovation Fund supported this workshop and other AMSTA projects. “By providing quality professional development activities that are relevant to manufacturing in our region, we increase our teachers’ ability prepare students to enter these careers,” Ayers said. “Also, by partnering with VGCC to provide these workshops, we have opened up lines of communication between K-12 teachers and community college instructors to share information and ideas about preparing students for advanced manufacturing careers.”
This was the first time Williams has conducted a project-based robotics course for schoolteachers; he offered a broader course in 2015 in partnership with AMSTA on various topics related to electronics and robotics.
VGCC offers both a two-year degree and a certificate in Electronics Engineering Technology (EET). The certificate is also available as a Career and College Promise (CCP) Pathway for eligible high school students. In the EET curriculum, students learn to apply basic engineering principles and technical skills to design, build, install, test, troubleshoot, repair, and modify developmental and production electronic components, equipment, and systems such as industrial/computer controls, manufacturing systems, communication systems and power electronic systems. For more information on the EET program, contact Williams at (252) 738-3541.
