HENDERSON, N.C. (June 2, 2017) — Written and directed by regional Playwright Charley-John Smith, That Long Tobacco Road is making its way back to the stage after first being presented by the Louisburg (N.C.) College Players in 2001. Performed by local actors from Vance, Granville, Franklin and Wake counties, the 2017 musical will debut on the stage of McGregor Hall Performing Arts and Learning Center in downtown Henderson, N.C., on June 16th and 17th at 8 p.m. each evening.
As the former Artistic Director of Theatre at Louisburg College, a position he held for 32 years, Smith saw great success with the musical during the start of the millennium. Playing to sold out audiences in Louisburg, the show became a regional success and was performed at the Fletcher Opera Theatre in Raleigh, N.C., for a two-week run.
“Warming the hearts and souls of audiences,, the musical offers comedy, romance and music to create a nostalgic trip back to the 1940s and a different way of life,” said Mark Hopper of McGregor Hall. “The characters Smith has created bring laughter and tears as the show takes us back to life on the farm.”
“That Long Tobacco Road is the story of a North Carolina family of tobacco farmers,” Smith explained. “The Sturdivants are struggling to harvest their crops in the 1940s.. Beset by natural disasters, human error and a vindictive opponent, the family finds itself in danger of losing their farm. It is a timeless story that portrays the challenges of farming life, and a story that most of us from the Carolinas and Virginias can relate to in some manner.”
Music for the performance offers a soulful mix of Gospel, Country and Bluegrass, Smith added. “Local musician and Musical Director Wayne Kinton wrote most of the music for the show and his award-winning band GrassStreet from Vance County will perform for the show.”
Tickets are on sale at www.McGregorHall.org, by calling (252) 598-0662 or by visiting the Box Office at 201 Breckenridge Street in Henderson, N.C. For more information, contact McGregor Hall’s Mark Hopper at (252) 598-0662 or email him at markhopper@mcgregorhall.org.
NOTE: For more information, contact McGregor Hall’s Mark Hopper at (252) 598-0662 or email him at markhopper@mcgregorhall.org. For interviews with Charley-John Smith, the actors and to arrange a preview exclusive during a rehearsal, contact Smith at charley-john@nc.rr.com.
Recent VGCC Medical Assisting graduate first to take RMA exam on campus
/by WIZS StaffTroy Glover of Youngsville recently made history at Vance-Granville Community College, when he became the first person to take the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) exam at the college’s Franklin County Campus.
According to VGCC Medical Assisting instructor Patrice Allen, the college has been working for the past several years to become an approved testing site that could administer the certification examination, which was established by American Medical Technologists (AMT). “We were finally able to begin the testing process this spring,” Allen said. “This is a set-up that can be offered not only to our students but also to students from other accredited medical assisting programs who would like to sit for the test here in lieu of going much further out of the area for that same process.” Several graduates from other schools have visited the campus to take the exam since Glover did.
By passing the exam, Glover, who graduated with his Medical Assisting diploma from VGCC in 2016, now holds the RMA title, which is less common in North Carolina than the title of Certified Medical Assistant (CMA). “This will help me to stand in the job market,” Glover said. “I want to thank Mrs. Allen for all her encouragement.” He said that the exam was certainly difficult, but being able to take it at VGCC made the process easier. “It’s less stressful being in familiar territory,” Glover noted.
Glover retired after many years of working in the Wake County Public School System in the special programs and technology departments. “I had always wanted to work in health care after I had the experience of being an athletic trainer when I was a student at Louisburg College and later at East Millbrook Middle School,” he said. “I didn’t know what to do after retiring. I thought, why not do something I wanted to do a long time ago?” Now, Glover is taking his new certification into the job market. “There are lots of diverse job opportunities for a medical assistant, many of which I didn’t even realize,” he said. He is particularly interested in working in physical therapy. Glover said that although he has completed his medical assisting training, he is still coming to VGCC for a CPR class.
VGCC offers both a one-year diploma and a two-year associate degree in Medical Assisting, an allied health profession whose multi-skilled practitioners perform administrative, clinical and lab procedures. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical assisting continues to be projected as one of the fastest-growing occupations in America. As VGCC’s program is nationally accredited, graduates are eligible to sit for the AAMA certification examination to become Certified Medical Assistants.
For more information either about enrolling in Medical Assisting or about testing, contact Patrice Allen at allenp@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3631.
–VGCC–
Vance County Schools Update 06/05/17
/by CharleneTown Talk 06/05/17
/by CharleneCooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland 06/05/17
/by CharleneNews 06/05/17
/by LarryClarke and E.O. Young Students Receive Nook devices
/by WIZS StaffVance County Schools
For Immediate Release
June 2, 2017
Vance County Schools officials distributed Nook electronic reading devices to students at Clarke and E.O. Young elementary schools on June 1, as part of district’s Summer Reading Program.
The students can now download books onto the reading devices and read throughout the summer.
There were 16 students at Clarke Elementary receiving the Nooks and 14 students at E.O. Young Jr. Elementary getting the devices.
They join students at Pinkston Street, Carver and New Hope elementary schools with having the electronic reading devices for use during this summer.
The Nooks were purchased with a $2,000 grant from Duke Energy through the Vance County Public School Foundation and matching funds from the school system.
In the photo, students hold their new reading devices as they pose with their principals and media specialists.
“That Long Tobacco Road” Coming to McGregor Hall
/by WIZS StaffHENDERSON, N.C. (June 2, 2017) — Written and directed by regional Playwright Charley-John Smith, That Long Tobacco Road is making its way back to the stage after first being presented by the Louisburg (N.C.) College Players in 2001. Performed by local actors from Vance, Granville, Franklin and Wake counties, the 2017 musical will debut on the stage of McGregor Hall Performing Arts and Learning Center in downtown Henderson, N.C., on June 16th and 17th at 8 p.m. each evening.
As the former Artistic Director of Theatre at Louisburg College, a position he held for 32 years, Smith saw great success with the musical during the start of the millennium. Playing to sold out audiences in Louisburg, the show became a regional success and was performed at the Fletcher Opera Theatre in Raleigh, N.C., for a two-week run.
“Warming the hearts and souls of audiences,, the musical offers comedy, romance and music to create a nostalgic trip back to the 1940s and a different way of life,” said Mark Hopper of McGregor Hall. “The characters Smith has created bring laughter and tears as the show takes us back to life on the farm.”
“That Long Tobacco Road is the story of a North Carolina family of tobacco farmers,” Smith explained. “The Sturdivants are struggling to harvest their crops in the 1940s.. Beset by natural disasters, human error and a vindictive opponent, the family finds itself in danger of losing their farm. It is a timeless story that portrays the challenges of farming life, and a story that most of us from the Carolinas and Virginias can relate to in some manner.”
Music for the performance offers a soulful mix of Gospel, Country and Bluegrass, Smith added. “Local musician and Musical Director Wayne Kinton wrote most of the music for the show and his award-winning band GrassStreet from Vance County will perform for the show.”
Tickets are on sale at www.McGregorHall.org, by calling (252) 598-0662 or by visiting the Box Office at 201 Breckenridge Street in Henderson, N.C. For more information, contact McGregor Hall’s Mark Hopper at (252) 598-0662 or email him at markhopper@mcgregorhall.org.
NOTE: For more information, contact McGregor Hall’s Mark Hopper at (252) 598-0662 or email him at markhopper@mcgregorhall.org. For interviews with Charley-John Smith, the actors and to arrange a preview exclusive during a rehearsal, contact Smith at charley-john@nc.rr.com.
Vance Medical Academy Holds Nurse Aide Pinning Ceremony
/by WIZS StaffVance County Schools
For Immediate Release
June 2, 2017
The Vance Medical Academy at Southern Vance High School held its annual Nurse Aide Pinning Ceremony on June 1, in the school’s gymnasium.
Melodie Kernahan, a registered nurse and the instructor for the Vance Medical Academy students, led the recognitions.
A total of 19 nursing aide training graduates were recognized.
They include: Jakayla Boyd, Itzy Contreras, Yasmene Clark, Alyssa Dickerson, Raven Dunston, Chermella Durham, Dalton Elliott, Cynthia Harrington, Anna Hernandez, Krystal Jones, Kyanna Kersey, Alexis Lowery, Vianey Nonato, Jaslin Renteria, Litzy Renteria, Onjahlaya Robinson, Yarelic Picaz, Dyshaqual Trowbridge and Morgan Yarborough.
Kernahan presented each graduate with a nursing aide pin, certificate of completion and a single red rose.
Vianey Nonato received a different pin for her successful completion of requirements to become a certified nursing aide (CNA 1).
The graduates also received recognition for each completing over 270 hours of training and the distinction of graduating from an accredited program. Each nursing aide graduate trained extensively in the classroom and in local nursing home facilities.
Town Talk 06/02/17
/by LarryNews 06/02/17
/by Larry