STEM Holds 2nd Annual Spanish Spelling Bee

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The STEM Early High School in Vance County Schools hosted its second annual Spanish Spelling Bee on November 9, with a student from Henderson Middle School taking top honors.

Ximena Rodriguez of Henderson Middle, was the first-place finisher in the spelling bee. She topped Ashley Pendergrass of Vance Early College High, who finished second, and Emily Garcia of STEM Early High, who finished third.

In addition to students from Henderson Middle, STEM Early High and Vance Early College, students from Vance Charter School participated in the competition.

Rodriguez was the only student participating from Henderson Middle. Students from Early College High in the spelling bee were Pendergrass, Brooklyn Davis, Evan Beaudet, Justice Anderson, McKenzie Taylor and Zenee Davis. Those students from STEM Early High included Garcia, Adrian Aguilera, Amanda Cease, Brant Gibson, Jesus Rodriguez, Kelsea Williams and Tanisha Davis. Spellers from Vance Charter included Amber Null, Aniyah Gill, Savannah Ayscue and Yazi Majette.

Town Talk 11/15/16

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Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland 11/15/16

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VGCC Bioprocess program moving to Franklin Campus

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The Vance-Granville Community College Bioprocess Technology degree program will be based at the college’s Franklin County Campus, starting in January 2017.

The program has been located at the college’s Main Campus in Vance County since its inception in January 2006. The biotechnology lab on Main Campus will now be used primarily by the new Histotechnology degree program instead.

The Franklin Campus, located on N.C. 56 just outside of Louisburg, has actually had a biotech lab longer than the Main Campus has. VGCC has conducted the one-semester BioWork Process Technician course in the lab on the Franklin Campus since it was first offered in 2001. Novozymes North America of Franklinton made monetary and equipment donations to the lab from the outset, and has continued to support VGCC over the years. That lab has also been used by the Bioprocess Technology curriculum degree program from time to time.

“Moving to the Franklin County Campus will strategically locate our program closer to Novozymes and other major employers in the biomanufacturing and pharmaceutical industries, while also promoting economic development in the Franklin County area,” said VGCC Bioprocess Technology program head/instructor Dr. Tara Hamilton. “We look forward to welcoming new students who want to succeed in this growing career field.”

The Bioprocess Technology curriculum is designed to prepare students to work as process operators or quality control analysts in biological products manufacturing facilities. Students receive instruction in a combination of basic science and communication skills, manufacturing technologies, and good manufacturing practices. In addition to the two-year associate in applied science degree, VGCC offers a 16-hour Bioprocess Technology certificate, which is open to eligible high school students through the Career & College Promise program.

VGCC is part of the North Carolina Community College System’s BioNetwork, a statewide initiative that connects community colleges serving the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors, providing specialized training, curricula and equipment.

Registration is going on now for the spring 2017 semester at VGCC, which begins Jan. 9. For more information on Bioprocess Technology, contact Dr. Tara Hamilton at (252) 738-3285 or hamiltont@vgcc.edu.

 

News 11/15/16

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Rotary Clubs and Community Volunteers Work to Reduce Hunger

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On November 19th the Rotary Clubs of Oxford, Henderson, Roxboro and the Kerr Tar Region are joining together to produce Emergency Food Boxes (EFB) for the food insecure in our area.  The Rotary clubs will be joined by an estimated 100 volunteers from schools, sororities and other community organizations to produce the boxes.

During the November packing event, 1,200 EFBs will be produced, providing more than 25,000 meals for agencies serving the food insecure, including:  ACTS and Vance County Senior Center in Vance County, and Safe Haven, Christian Help Center and a church-based food bank in Person County.

Another packing event will be held on January 21, 2017, producing an additional 1,200 boxes supporting agencies in Granville County.  Each EFB contains individual bags of rice, beans and dehydrated vegetables, enough food to make 21 meals and feed a person for a week.  More importantly, the box includes illustrated cooking instructions in English and Spanish and menus to feed a family of four for just $75 a week.

Food insecurity is a significant problem in our area, where an estimated 20% (21,000) of the population does not always know where they will find their next meal.  Together, the November and January packing events will provide more than 50,000 meals at a total cost of $12,000.

The Emergency Food Box project was funded by the Rotary Clubs of Oxford, Henderson and Roxboro and Rotary District 7710.  The Masonic Home for Children in Oxford generously provides storage and production facilities and volunteers to make this project possible.

For more information, contact OxfordNCRotaryClub@Yahoo.com

Town Talk 11/14/16

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Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland 11/14/16

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News 11/14/16

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Coastal Federal Credit Union Comes to Henderson

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Coastal Federal Credit Union is pleased to announce that it has successfully completed a merger with Freedom Credit Union. The merger was official as of July 1, 2016, with branches and systems converting to Coastal between October 28 and November 2.

Freedom was a $53 million credit union based in Rocky Mount. The merger gives Coastal 8,300 new members, 13 new employees and four more branches. Coastal renovated locations in Rocky Mount, and on-site at WakeMed’s facilities in Raleigh and Cary. Freedom’s Henderson location has been replaced by a new Coastal branch, located at 236 Dabney Drive.

“Freedom’s board sought a merger partner because they desired to expand member service, provide more long-term opportunities for their employees, and overcome the challenges of rising regulatory compliance costs that small credit unions face,” says Chuck Purvis, President and CEO of Coastal.

Purvis added, “The merger was attractive to Coastal, as well. We now have new branch locations to serve existing members living in the communities around the Rocky Mount and Henderson branch locations. It also opens up several opportunities to share all the benefits we can offer to our new employer groups.”

For more information, please contact Joe Mecca at 919-420-8044.

Coastal Federal Credit Union is a not-for-profit, member-owned, financial cooperative, offering a full range of financial products and services. Coastal was chartered on August 31, 1967 with the mission of fostering the credit union philosophy of “people helping people.”  Today, with $2.8 billion in assets, Coastal serves 220,000 members from 1,600 business partners and is among the leading financial institutions in North Carolina.  Coastal operates 22 branches in the Triangle market and serves members in all 50 states through a network of 5,000 shared branches,  mobile banking featuring mobile check deposit, and a robust offering of online services at www.COASTAL24.com.