Vance-Granville Community Band to present free holiday concert on Dec. 3

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The Vance-Granville Community Band will perform its eighth annual Christmas Concert, entitled “Making Spirits Bright,” on Thursday, Dec. 3, at 7 p.m. in the Civic Center on VGCC’s Main Campus in Vance County. Admission is free and the public is invited.

The band has prepared a program featuring a variety of holiday-themed favorites, including “All I Want for Christmas is You,” “A Holst Christmas,” a march called “Christmas Joy,” “The Bells of Saint Mary,” “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” “Angels We Have Heard on High,” a sing-a-long of popular Christmas songs, and “May the Good Lord Keep and Bless You.”

The concert will also feature students in the VGCC Music Scholars program: Shontiara Williams of Oxford (on vocals and piano), Kaleb Williamson of Bullock (guitar), Tiffany Barnes of Henderson (vocals) and Charles Keith of Raleigh (bass).

VGCC music instructor Ivory Brock is the band’s primary conductor. Also conducting for a portion of the concert will be Brian Miller, the recently-retired band director at Louisburg High School.

First formed in 2008, the all-volunteer Community Band has included VGCC students, local high school students, educators, and interested citizens from all four counties of the college’s service area (Vance, Granville, Warren and Franklin) and beyond. For more information, call Ivory Brock at (252) 738-3222.

Vance County Economic Development Show 11/18/15

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VGCC and Dill Air Controls Products join forces with Apprenticeship program

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Vance-Granville Community College and Oxford-based Dill Air Controls Products, LLC, recently signed on to join the North Carolina Triangle Apprenticeship Program (NCTAP), in an effort to provide new opportunities for local students and to prepare a skilled workforce.

NCTAP offers students a unique start to a professional career and develops them into future industry leaders. The program focuses on integrated basic training which develops technical, methodological and social skills. Typically starting in the 11th grade of high school, the four-year program leads to a student obtaining an associate degree at the community college and paid, on-the-job training at the participating employer.

Students in the program will be employed full-time by the company after they graduate from high school, and their VGCC tuition and fees are paid by the employer. Including salary, benefits and college tuition, the value of the program to the student is approximately $150,000 over four years.

VGCC and Dill Air Controls Products are currently spreading the word to students in Vance County and Granville County about this opportunity. The company intends to select its first two apprentices in 2016. They would complete the program in 2020.

Dill Air Controls Products is a leading manufacturer and distributor of tire and tank valves, tire pressure gauges, tire pressure monitoring sensors and service tools for the aerospace, automotive and commercial products industries. Company officials said they were pleased to announce the new partnership with NCTAP and VGCC. “We look forward to participating in this program to grow our employee base with local students who are committed to contributing to the manufacturing industry in Granville County,” said Dill’s President, Brian Rigney.

“This new partnership will support student success while building upon Vance-Granville’s tradition of collaborating with local employers and our local school systems to lead the economic development of our region,” said Dr. Stelfanie Williams, president of VGCC.

For NCTAP, the college’s involvement represents an expansion into what the apprenticeship program calls its “northern region.” Additional companies will be invited to join the partnership with VGCC. The college will focus on apprenticeships related to the college’s Mechatronics Engineering, Electronics Engineering and Welding Technology programs at first, but other Applied Technologies programs could be involved in the future.

According to NCTAP vice chairman Kent Misegades, his organization is particularly excited to work with VGCC because the college offers the Mechatronics program, which is not currently offered by any community college in the Raleigh-Durham area. “Mechatronics is the way to go for a student in advanced manufacturing, because it trains you in a broad range of skills,” Misegades said.

Zachary Chaney of Roxboro, who works for CaptiveAire in Youngsville as an NCTAP apprentice, recently spoke to representatives of VGCC, Granville County Schools, Vance County Schools and Dill Air Controls. “NCTAP is a great opportunity to work and learn at the same time,” Chaney said. “I feel more confident now, knowing more about all aspects of manufacturing. It’s given me not only a paycheck, but also a sense of pride and accomplishment.”

Misegades said students entering the program must meet certain requirements but are not required to have a certain type of prior experience in the field. He said the program is looking for candidates with an interest in engineering or manufacturing. He plans to hold orientation for participants in March or April of 2016, followed by a pre-apprenticeship program in the summer. Then, students would officially start the apprenticeship in the fall. Misegades noted that NCTAP is registered with the N.C. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Labor.

For more information about the apprenticeship program, high school students and their parents should talk with their school guidance counselors or contact Ken Wilson at VGCC, at wilsonk@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3259.

Home and Garden Show 11/18/15

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Vance County Schools 11/16/15

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VGCC Phi Beta Lambda chapter installs new leaders

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Vance-Granville Community College’s Chi Beta Chi chapter of Phi Beta Lambda, the business student organization, recently elected officers for the 2015-2016 year. New officers were installed and members were inducted at a ceremony on Nov. 5 on VGCC’s Main Campus.

The officers include president Angelica Bridges of Oxford, vice president Ambrianna Winston of Oxford, secretary Ashley Allen of Henderson, treasurer Tiffany Barnes of Henderson, and historian Shekinah Yancey of Oxford. Bridges and Yancey are students in the Business Administration program, while Winston, Allen and Barnes are majoring in Office Administration.

VGCC alumna Shelonda Finch of Oxford, a former Chi Beta Chi chapter president, was the special guest at the ceremony and performed the formal installation of officers and induction of members. Finch continues to be a “professional division” member of the chapter, as are other alumni as well as college faculty and staff members.

The chapter advisor is Business Administration instructor Derrick Cameron. In his closing remarks at the ceremony, Cameron addressed the newly installed officers, saying: “Going forward, think of yourselves as leaders, or ‘Vanguards.’ You have a great PBL tradition to emulate. Since being reactivated in 2008, this chapter has succeeded in receiving several state and national accolades, representing students and VGCC well.”

Phi Beta Lambda is the national organization for college students who are preparing for a variety of careers in business. The Greek letters stand for the English words “Future Business Leaders,” and PBL is affiliated with the Future Business Leaders of America, an organization for high school students. FBLA/PBL seeks to bring business and education together in a positive working relationship through innovative leadership and career development programs. PBL members have opportunities to attend conferences and participate in a number of competitions. For more information, call Derrick Cameron at (252) 738-3447.

VGCC registers 350 potential lifesavers

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A recent Vance-Granville Community College service project added some 350 people to the registry of potential bone marrow donors. In partnership with the Project Life Movement and the “Save the Fox” campaign, the college held events on each of its four campuses during the week of Oct. 26-29.

Students, faculty, staff and community members signed up and swabbed their cheeks to provide DNA samples at these events. The painless registration process took only a few minutes, but could save a life if a participant turns out to be a match for someone in need of a bone marrow transplant. Such treatments are the only hope for many people diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma, sickle cell anemia and other blood cancers and diseases. Around 60 percent of those in need of a donation currently cannot find a donor match, according to Project Life, a national movement that started with students at Davidson College and has spread to more than 25 other schools and has registered more than 13,000 donors.

The “Save the Fox” campaign is named after North Carolina Superior Court Judge Carl Fox of Orange County. Judge Fox was diagnosed with blood cancer in April and has searched for a suitable bone marrow donor.

At a kickoff event on Oct. 26 at VGCC’s Main Campus in Vance County, Dr. Stelfanie Williams, the college president, welcomed participants and commended the students, faculty and staff who contributed their time and energy to the project. “I love it when we take these opportunities to integrate service with learning and to give back to the community,” Dr. Williams said. “Like the students at Davidson College who started Project Life, our students are leaders of the future and can make a difference.” She particularly thanked the students in VGCC Health Sciences programs who took the lead in the registration drive. The very first student to register as a potential donor was Kala Williams of Henderson, a Pharmacy Technology major.

Also speaking at the kickoff was Project Life executive director David Lindsay, who received a successful bone marrow donation and helped found the organization with his fellow students at Davidson College. He thanked all of the participants in the VGCC registration drive. “This will create more chances that a patient like Judge Fox or a patient like me 25 years ago will have a second chance at a miracle,” Lindsay said. “That’s what the drive is all about: creating the possibility for miracles. Potentially everyone in this room is a match for someone you don’t even know.”

He noted that the decision to register as a potential donor, particularly for a young person, would have an impact for years to come. “Students who are 20 will be on the registry for 40 years,” Lindsay said. “Think about what it would feel like to get a call, find out you’re a match, and save someone’s life. I’m glad that Vance-Granville is now part of the Project Life movement, and I hope it becomes an annual event because the potential is immense.”

Attendees then heard remarks from VGCC Financial Aid Assistant Glynnis Wilson, who actually saved a life as a bone marrow donor. She was on the registry for more than eight years until 2006 when the National Marrow Donor Program called, informing her that she was a match. “People ask me if it hurt when I donated bone marrow,” Wilson said. “I always say that whatever I felt was nothing compared to what my recipient had endured. I would do it again in a heartbeat.”

VGCC Radiography student and Save the Fox student leader Nick Kemp of Franklinton thanked all of the volunteers who made the drive a success. “What we are really working for is the opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life, hopefully multiple people’s lives,” Kemp said. “Everyone who registers is a potential lifesaver, maybe not for Judge Fox but perhaps for one of the hundreds of thousands of other people who are looking for a match.” He said that those who registered could look forward to a day “when your phone rings and you get the opportunity to help a fellow human being in need. I don’t know about any of you, but I hope my phone rings sooner rather than later.”

VGCC academic and career coach Seletha Pherribo, who helped spearhead the project, said that Save the Fox had helped unite the college and the community. After the first day at Main Campus, events were held at the Franklin County Campus on Oct. 27, the South Campus in Granville County on Oct. 28 and the Warren County Campus on Oct. 29. Pherribo thanked Project Life for its support. Project Life works with the Delete Blood Cancer organization to process the new potential donors. For more information on becoming a donor, visit www.projectlifemovement.org or www.deletebloodcancer.org.

New VGCC Job Driven Initiative staff connect area residents with training

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Two professional staff members are now in place at Vance-Granville Community College to help area residents obtain education and training through a special grant.

The college, in partnership with the Kerr-Tar Workforce Development Board, received a $147,000 “NCWorks Job Driven Initiative” (JDI) grant in 2014, made possible by federal funds awarded to the North Carolina Division of Workforce Solutions. VGCC currently ranks second out of 12 North Carolina community colleges in the number of students who have been approved for grant funding.

Rosemarie Baker is the new JDI Grant Program Marketer and Connie Ragland is the Grant Coach, both working in the VGCC Continuing Education division. Baker’s role is to educate the community about the program and recruit potential students, after which Ragland helps to see if they qualify for the program. For those who do, Ragland tracks their progress and helps guide them to success.

Baker, a resident of Clarksville, Va., spent more than 15 years teaching business and marketing classes, most of which were in the Vance County Schools system. She graduated from Longwood College (now Longwood University) in Virginia, with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with concentrations in Management and Marketing Management. Baker said that although she is new to her position, she knows the college well. “I actually began my college experience as a freshman at VGCC, I have taught classes for VGCC, and now, I’m recruiting students to take advantage of this great training under the JDI grant,” she said. Baker noted that if students meet the requirements as determined by NCWorks, the grant funding will pay for their tuition, books, certain supplies and certification testing fees.

A Henderson resident, Ragland has held various positions at area organizations including Kittrell Job Corps Center, FGV Partnership for Children, Granville County Schools and, most recently, the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce. She earned a degree in Business Administration at North Carolina A&T State University. Over the course of her career, Ragland has enjoyed working in many capacities that allowed her to help people of all ages, from young children to adults. Her proudest accomplishments, she said, have come from the benefits of operating two non-profits with her husband, R.O.Y. and New Horizons Training Group. “As the NCWorks JDI Grant Coach, I hope that this opportunity to serve will help someone be able to continue their educational pursuits because of the tuition assistance that it can provide,” Ragland said. “I’m excited to be a part of the Vance-Granville family.”

VGCC’s programs as part of the JDI are all designed to lead to industry-recognized or state-regulated credentials, and to prepare students for various entry-level jobs that address the needs of local employers. These programs include BioWork Process Technician, Certified Logistics Technician, Certified Production Technician (Manufacturing Skill Standards Council), Class B Commercial Driver License (CDL–B), Health Unit Coordinator, Health Unit Secretary, Nurse Aide,  Home Health Care Aide, Emergency Medical Technician-Basic, Guest Service Gold, Hospitality (START), and Heavy Equipment Operator.

Students must meet certain eligibility requirements to participate in the grant program. For more information, contact VGCC at raglandc@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3452.

VGCC opens Spring Registration, offers Orientation Sessions online and in-person

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Registration for classes and orientation sessions for new students have begun for the Spring 2016 semester at Vance-Granville Community College, which starts Monday, Jan. 11, 2016.

Attending an orientation session is required for all new students who wish to enroll in any of the college’s curriculum programs, and for students who are returning to VGCC after being away for three or more years. Students must also meet with an advisor or academic/career coach before registering for classes.

To attend an orientation session, a student must sign up in advance by visiting orientation.vgcc.edu.

VGCC now offers orientation in both an online and a traditional face-to-face format. In either format, orientation sessions help students learn where to find resources on campus or online, including how to register for classes through WebAdvisor. Many face-to-face orientation sessions still have slots available, and additional dates may be scheduled.

Orientation sessions scheduled for VGCC’s Main Campus in Vance County include: Thursday, Nov. 12, at 2 p.m.; Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 9 a.m.; Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 9 a.m.; and Thursday, Jan. 7, at 2 p.m.

The Franklin County Campus near Louisburg has orientation sessions scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 5 p.m.; and Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 9 a.m.

Orientation sessions are scheduled at VGCC’s South Campus (between Creedmoor and Butner) on

Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 2 p.m.; Thursday, Nov. 19, at 9 a.m., Wednesday, Dec. 2, at 2 p.m.; and Thursday, Dec. 10, at 9 a.m.

Students who want to attend a face-to-face orientation session at the Warren County Campus in Warrenton should call (252) 257-1900 for more information.

Registration for fall classes opened Nov. 2 and closes on Dec. 16. College officials advise students to apply for admission and financial aid, attend orientation/advising, and register for classes as early as possible. The upcoming semester’s course schedule is now available online at schedules.vgcc.edu.

The tuition payment deadline is Wednesday, Dec. 16, by 5 p.m., if paying in person, or by Thursday, Dec. 31, by midnight, if paying online through WebAdvisor.

For more information, contact VGCC at studentsuccess@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3330, or visit any campus.

FINANCIAL AID AVAILABLE

Prospective students interested in seeking financial assistance are encouraged to immediately complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at www.fafsa.gov and to visit the VGCC Financial Aid Office.

Eligible students may receive Pell Grants ranging from $626 to $5,775. Students may also qualify for other college or state funds. The Financial Aid Office recommends completing the FAFSA and all financial aid documents by Dec. 11, 2015. In order for a student to charge tuition, fees, and books to financial aid awards, the application must be processed entirely prior to the tuition payment deadline of Dec. 31, 2015. Students with preschool-age children may receive financial assistance to help pay for child care, and applications for this help are also available at the Financial Aid Office.

Information about other resources is available online at financialaid.vgcc.edu.

For more details regarding financial assistance, visit the Financial Aid Office in Room 8215 on Main Campus or call (252) 738-3280.

HELP FOR VETERANS

Military veterans who wish to use their Veterans’ Education benefits may contact the Financial Aid Office at (252) 738-3224. Veterans should check with Financial Aid to see if the programs in which they are interested are covered.

Field Trip!!

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Approximately 80 students, school staff members and parents from Aycock Elementary School ate dinner at the Kanki Japanese restaurant at Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh, on September 24, as part of their trip to attend a men’s soccer game between N.C. State University and Gardner Webb University. They are all seen in the accompanying photo as they pose for photos outside of the restaurant. The trip proved to be a great experience for students and their families members who attended, as well as the school staff members. They attended the soccer game to specifically cheer on a former Aycock student, Lorenzo Ortiz, who is a starting forward for Gardner Webb. Hope Howard, physical education teacher at Aycock Elementary, organized the trip and received assistance from Principal Kristen Boyd and Assistant Principal David Cooper, who also participated in the event.

(Information provided by Vance County Schools Public Information Officer Terri Hedrick)