SVHS Student selected for IFAL

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Vance County Schools

For Immediate Release

May 15, 2017

Kimberly Rice, a junior at Southern Vance High School, has been selected to participate in the Institute for Future Agricultural Leaders (IFAL) at N.C. A&T State University from June 11 through June 16.

The IFAL program is a one-week residential program designed for rising high school seniors sponsored through the N.C. Farm Bureau.

While attending the institute, students are exposed to the academic and research programs in the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences and are familiarized with careers in the food, agricultural and environmental sciences.

Maria Parham Health to offer free sports physicals

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Maria Parham Health will be offering free sports physicals from 5:00 p.m. –  7:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 17th for those students who plan to play sports in a school setting.

Please enter through our main entrance and directions the waiting area will be provided.

Please bring the form’s your child’s sports program requires for participation and make sure the parent’s section is already filled out and signed.

News 05/15/17

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Major Community Workshop Coming to Downtown Henderson

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The city of Henderson is hosting a two-day community workshop to develop a plan for using local foods to support downtown revitalization. The workshop will focus on planning for a downtown farmers market and public space, but will also explore ways to improve walkability, promote downtown, and identify next steps in developing other food-related enterprises that could support economic and community development.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), US Department of Agriculture (USDA), US Department of Transportation (DOT), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), and Delta Regional Authority (DRA) selected Henderson for the Local Foods, Local Places technical assistance program, which will result in an action plan for strengthening our downtown through local foods.

A team of these agency partners and their consultants will join local stakeholders to conduct a workshop in Henderson on June 6th and 7th. Your participation and knowledge of the local area is needed to help make this event a success. The workshop will bring together many key stakeholders from throughout our region to develop an action plan primarily around, but not limited to, these goal areas:

  • Design a Thriving Place: Create a vision for the site of the downtown farmers market and surrounding area
  • Sustain a Thriving Market: Management and growth strategy for the downtown farmers market
  • Connect People to Downtown: Promote the place, improve walkability, and provide education and entertainment programs at the farmers market that draw in more people
  • Plan for Additional Programs that Use Food to Build Community: Identify next steps towards long term goals of a grocery store, community kitchen, and community gardens in the downtown

The workshop will include presentations on community livability and the roles that local foods play in supporting it, plus small group working sessions and discussions on the community’s vision and goals, and specific actions for reaching them. The workshop will lay out an action plan for moving forward.

  • Who: Stakeholders and community leaders such as you, local residents, and elected officials; along with representatives of EPA, USDA, DRA and contractors from Renaissance Planning.
  • What: Discussions on local foods and community livability, group work sessions, and networking that will result in an Action Plan.
  • Day 1 Evening Session: Tuesday, June 6th from 5:30 to 7:30 PM at Perry Memorial Library (Farm Bureau Room)
  • Day 2 Action Planning Work Sessions: Wednesday, June 7th from 9:00 AM to Noon and 1:00 to 4:00 PM at Perry Memorial Library (Farm Bureau Room)
  • Please RSVP: Contact Carolyn Powell, Director of Henderson-Vance Downtown Development Commission by email at carolyn.powell@hendersondowntown.com or phone at (252) 810-9785 to RSVP for the workshop.

Your expertise, experience, and enthusiasm for the community and region will help make the workshop a success. We look forward to seeing you there.

Community Meeting – June 6th, 2017
More info: https://hendersonncdowntown.com/event/local-foods-local-places-community-meeting/

Planning Session – June 7th, 2017
More Info:  https://hendersonncdowntown.com/event/local-foods-local-places-planning-session/

Other Upcoming Events:
Spring Fling:  https://hendersonncdowntown.com/event/spring-fling-2017/

Independence Day Celebration:  https://hendersonncdowntown.com/event/independence-day-2017-celebration/

Pinkston Street Elementary hosts “EOG Parent Night”

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Vance County Schools

For Immediate Release

May 12, 2017

The Vance County Schools’ Family Resource Center hosted an “EOG Parent Night” on May 11 at Pinkston Street Elementary School for parents and their children who are in grades 3-5 in our 10 elementary schools.
Approximately 200 people attended the event. They participated in a variety of information sessions held in classrooms throughout the school to gain valuable strategies and advice on what to expect on the N.C. End-of-Grade tests in reading, mathematics and science.  
Parents and children rotated through the various sessions, which were all led by teachers in our elementary schools. The sessions were designed to provide them with information on the types of things that will be covered on the tests and how they can prepare at home and at school to be successful on the tests, which will be administered at the end of May.
In the first photo, Robin Wilson, a teacher at New Hope Elementary School, leads a session with parents and students involving the state reading test. In the second photo, Kedecia Stewart, a teacher at Pinkston Street Elementary School, discusses math strategies with parents and students.

Vance County Schools holds 2nd “Honoring Academic Success” Banquet

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Vance County Schools

For Immediate Release

May 12, 2017

Vance County Schools held its second annual “Honoring Academic Success” banquet on Wednesday, May 10, at McGregor Hall in downtown Henderson to honor 48 high school seniors who are the top academic achievers in their respective graduating classes for the 2016-2017 school year.
An audience of approximately 225 people attended the banquet which featured entertainment by local students and a nice meal, catered by Cook Shack of Louisburg.
Kaitlyn Tant, a junior at Southern Vance High School, and Jadyn Jones, a junior at Northern Vance High School, each sang lovely musical selections to honor the high school seniors. They wowed the audience with their impressive musical talents.
Uriah Ford, a 2016 graduate of the Vance County Early College High School, was the featured speaker for the evening. Ford spoke about his experience last year as a member of the honored group at the 2016 “Honoring Academic Success” banquet. He also talked about his first year as a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and urged all of the soon-to-be graduates to enjoy their last few weeks in high school and to look forward to the challenges still facing them.
But, the true stars of the evening were the 48 high school honorees. Each are part of the top 10 percent of academic achievers in their senior classes. They have all proven to be leaders academically and have proven during their four-year high school careers that they value their studies and can be counted on to set high goals and work to achieve them. They were recognized individually and were presented with medallions by Superintendent Anthony Jackson, Vance County Board of Education Chairperson Gloria J. White and Vance County Public School Foundation President Archie Taylor Jr.
Those honored seniors included from the Vance County Early College High School: Christopher Brame, Sierra Hawkins, Kristen Oakes, Janet Rodriguez-Morales and Jacob Weaver. They are joined by, from left, counselor Tannis Jenkins and Principal Debbie Hite.

Seniors honored as top academic achievers at the AdVANCE Academy at Western Vance High School were Danny Lee Hicks Jr., Cindy San Juan, Dawn-Sha’ Smith, Antavious Williams and Robert Wunderlich. They are joined by Principal Stephanie Ayscue, left, and counselor Marsha Harris, right.

Top achievers in the senior class at Southern Vance High School include: Luis Amaya-Villa, Yasmene Clark, Dalton Elliott, Gavin Eutsler, Daniel Faulkner, Kenia Gomez, Kendall Harris, Anna Hernandez, Brandon Lawrence, Antonia Loyd, Carrington Matias, Angelica Montano, Vianey Nonato, Tyler Patrick, Jaslin Renteria, Heidy Reyes, Yarelic Tamayo, Logan Waite and Autumn Wortham. They are joined, from left, by Principal Rey Horner and counselor Carol Simmons.

From Northern Vance High School those seniors honored were Megan Andrews, Jared Bennett, Charlie Chiem, Tamiya Davis, Brooks Falkner, Holly Hilliard, Sarah Howarth, Hannah Mason, Shadi Nagi, Connor Pendergrass, Michelle Pham, Penny Phan, Turner Roberson, Jo’el Royster, Deriana Scott, Bailey Shelton, Imani Simmons, Nathaniel Stevenson and Jeffery Zheng. They are joined by, from left, counselor Jameka Floyd and Principal Andrew Markoch.

Henderson Resident Pleads Guilty to Murder of his Father

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Henderson, NC— A session of Vance County Criminal Superior Trial Court was held during the week of May 8, 2017. The Honorable Michael O’Foghludha, Superior Court Judge, presided over the session.

Willie McAffee, III pleaded guilty to Second Degree Murder and Second Degree Arson in the 2015 death of his father, Willie McAffee, Jr.

Mr. McAffee received an active sentence of 270 to 336 months in the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, Division of Adult Correction (DAC). He was also ordered to continue mental health treatment while in custody.

This case was prepared for trial by Assistant District Attorney Onica F. Fuller, and investigated by the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) and Captain Bullock of the Vance County Sheriffs Office under the direction of Sheriff Peter White.

Michael Waters

News 05/12/17

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Thomas C. Church Jr. Boy Scouts Citizen of Year

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— by Susan Rose

Thomas C. (Tom) Church Jr. was awarded the 2017 Citizen of the Year Award through the Awahili District, Occoneechee Council, of the Boy Scouts of America Thursday night at the Henderson Country Club.  The award is named after George Rose Watkins Sr.  Dinner was served and three testimonials followed.

Rev. Donald Lowery, rector of The Church of the Holy Innocents, told about Mr. Church’s dedication and faithful leadership.

Mr. Church has been very active in The Church of the Holy Innocents and in the Henderson-Vance community.  He now serves as chair of the Henderson-Vance County Economic Development Board.

John Akerman, scout executive of the Occoneechee Council, said Mr. Church has created a legacy for saying “yes” to all aspects of scouting.

Cliff Rogers, local businessman and past scout council president, reiterated about Church’s service in the U.S. Air Force, to the church, to the local schools, to the hospital and to the Rotary Club.  Rogers presented the award.

Church thanked the council and all his scout friends.

Church moved to Henderson in 1970.  He has been involved with scouting for many years, beginning as an assistant leader for his son’s Webelos Den.  Other contributions to scouting include: district chair of Awahili District; member of the Occoneechee Council executive board for nearly 40 years; vice president of administration of the council; and chairman of the capital development committee that oversaw the reconstruction and remodeling of Camp Durant and Camp Campbell.

Church presently serves on the audit committee.  He received the District Award of Merit in 1981 and the Silver Beaver award in 2005.

The Occoneechee Council now has 13,000 youth and 6,000 volunteers.

Vance Relay for Life To Proceed Friday 3p-12a at SVHS

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The Relay for Life of Vance County is scheduled to proceed as planned Friday, according to Jon Charest, a community manager with the American Cancer Society.  He said this was a local decision made by the local committee.

Rain will not be an issue.  If there is lightning, that changes things for safety reasons.  WIZS will have the latest.

WIZS 1450 AM and wizs.com, along with updates on facebook.com/wizsradio and twitter.com/wizsradio, will broadcast live from the event.  This year’s RELAY will be from 3:00 p.m. Friday until 12:00 midnight at Southern Vance High School.

The following is straight from the Relay for Life of Vance County Facebook Page and is published with permission:

Just one day till Relay For Life of Vance County! We are still planning on having the event despite the rain.

The weather forecast has changed every time we’ve looked at it so this was a hard decision to make. We are hoping for no thunderstorms because if we have lightning then we need to cancel. So please keep an eye on the weather. Plan to be with us even in the rain. If you see lightning then please either don’t come out or head to your vehicle if you are at the event. We will announce any updates during the event as needed.

If we endure a little rain for Relay For Life that will be a minor concern compared to the struggle our cancer patients are going through and our survivors have been through during their fight against cancer. We encourage you to invite your friends and family to the event. Just ask people to dress accordingly and bring an umbrella.

Teams are welcome to begin to set up at the track today after 5 PM. Setup on Friday can begin anytime after 9 AM. Remember that no vehicles will be allowed on the track after 2:30 PM or depending on the weather.