THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY
-Press Release and photos, Vance County Schools
Vance County Schools held the annual Excellence in Education event on Tuesday, September 22, 2020. At the event, the District’s Beginning Teacher of the Year, Teacher of the Year, Assistant Principal of the Year and Principal of the Year were announced.
The event was a drive-in recognition at the VCS Administrative Service Center on Graham Avenue, where staff were presented their award in an outdoor ceremony, with social distancing in place and masks required. Dr. Anthony Jackson, VCS Superintendent, along with Assistant Superintendents Dr. Trixie Brooks and Dr. Cindy Bennett, recognized each honoree.
District award winners included:
2020-2021 Assistant Principal of the Year Shannon Bullock
Bullock is the assistant principal of Vance County Middle School and in her 9th year in education, spending every year with Vance County Schools.
A native of Henderson, Bullock shares, “It is with great humility that I serve the families of our community. I will forever embrace the opportunity to uplift all stakeholders of our school community so that all of our students will be adequately prepared for their next endeavors in life. My heart is filled with gratitude to be able to give back to my community.”
Bullock received her Associate’s from Vance-Granville Community College, continuing on with her undergraduate from East Carolina University and graduate degree from High Point University. She is currently working on her doctorate at Liberty University.
2020-2021 Beginning Teacher of the Year Sheneika Campbell
Campell teaches 7th-grade English Language Arts at Vance County Middle School. She has been with Vance County Schools for three years but has been in education for 12 years. Originally from Montego Bay, Jamaica, Campbell earned her undergraduate and graduate degree from the University of the West Indies.
She shared, “I am a passionate educator who has been called to this profession to effect positive changes and advance the welfare of all in my reach. I am honored and humbled to be recognized as BT for the district. This award has ignited an even stronger commitment to inspire, motivate, and serve the scholars of VCS.”
2020-2021 Principal of the Year Stephanie Ayscue
Ayscue is currently the principal of Advance Academy with 20 years in education. A native of Toledo, Ohio, Stephanie earned her undergraduate degree from Lourdes University, graduate degree from Western Carolina University and Ed.S from Liberty University. She is currently working on her doctorate degree from Liberty University.
Stephanie expressed, “Love and relationships are essential. The Dalai Lama states, ‘When educating the minds of our youth, we must not forget their hearts.’ That is what we do at Advance Academy and what I have always tried to do at every school I have been blessed to be part of.”
2020-2021 Teacher of the Year Sara Lilley
Lilley is a 3rd-grade teacher at Clarke Elementary School. Sara shared, “I’m blessed to work with such a wonderful group of educators. It is quite an honor to receive such a distinction when I consider the talent, skill, and experience that daily surrounds me.”
Sara is in her 11th year teaching, all with Vance County Schools at Clarke Elementary. Lilley, originally from Elizabeth City, NC, received her undergraduate degree from Campbell University and her graduate degree from NC State University.
The Principal of the Year Stephanie Ayscue and Teacher of the Year Sara Lilley will now move forward in competing for the regional titles. The North Carolina State Principal of the Year and Teacher of the Year will be announced in the spring of 2021 and selected from the regional winners across the state.
Vance County Schools Superintendent Dr. Anthony Jackson presents the 2020-2021 Assistant Principal of the Year award to Shannon Bullock.
Vance County Schools Superintendent Dr. Anthony Jackson presents the 2020-2021 Beginning Teacher of the Year award to Sheneika Campbell.
Vance County Schools Superintendent Dr. Anthony Jackson presents the 2020-2021 Principal of the Year award to Stephanie Ayscue.
2020-2021 Teacher of the Year Sara Lilley, a 3rd-grade teacher at Clarke Elementary School, poses with her awards in front of the district office.
VCS Recognizes Teachers, Principals at Annual Excellence in Education Event
/by WIZS StaffTHIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY
-Press Release and photos, Vance County Schools
Vance County Schools held the annual Excellence in Education event on Tuesday, September 22, 2020. At the event, the District’s Beginning Teacher of the Year, Teacher of the Year, Assistant Principal of the Year and Principal of the Year were announced.
The event was a drive-in recognition at the VCS Administrative Service Center on Graham Avenue, where staff were presented their award in an outdoor ceremony, with social distancing in place and masks required. Dr. Anthony Jackson, VCS Superintendent, along with Assistant Superintendents Dr. Trixie Brooks and Dr. Cindy Bennett, recognized each honoree.
District award winners included:
2020-2021 Assistant Principal of the Year Shannon Bullock
Bullock is the assistant principal of Vance County Middle School and in her 9th year in education, spending every year with Vance County Schools.
A native of Henderson, Bullock shares, “It is with great humility that I serve the families of our community. I will forever embrace the opportunity to uplift all stakeholders of our school community so that all of our students will be adequately prepared for their next endeavors in life. My heart is filled with gratitude to be able to give back to my community.”
Bullock received her Associate’s from Vance-Granville Community College, continuing on with her undergraduate from East Carolina University and graduate degree from High Point University. She is currently working on her doctorate at Liberty University.
2020-2021 Beginning Teacher of the Year Sheneika Campbell
Campell teaches 7th-grade English Language Arts at Vance County Middle School. She has been with Vance County Schools for three years but has been in education for 12 years. Originally from Montego Bay, Jamaica, Campbell earned her undergraduate and graduate degree from the University of the West Indies.
She shared, “I am a passionate educator who has been called to this profession to effect positive changes and advance the welfare of all in my reach. I am honored and humbled to be recognized as BT for the district. This award has ignited an even stronger commitment to inspire, motivate, and serve the scholars of VCS.”
2020-2021 Principal of the Year Stephanie Ayscue
Ayscue is currently the principal of Advance Academy with 20 years in education. A native of Toledo, Ohio, Stephanie earned her undergraduate degree from Lourdes University, graduate degree from Western Carolina University and Ed.S from Liberty University. She is currently working on her doctorate degree from Liberty University.
Stephanie expressed, “Love and relationships are essential. The Dalai Lama states, ‘When educating the minds of our youth, we must not forget their hearts.’ That is what we do at Advance Academy and what I have always tried to do at every school I have been blessed to be part of.”
2020-2021 Teacher of the Year Sara Lilley
Lilley is a 3rd-grade teacher at Clarke Elementary School. Sara shared, “I’m blessed to work with such a wonderful group of educators. It is quite an honor to receive such a distinction when I consider the talent, skill, and experience that daily surrounds me.”
Sara is in her 11th year teaching, all with Vance County Schools at Clarke Elementary. Lilley, originally from Elizabeth City, NC, received her undergraduate degree from Campbell University and her graduate degree from NC State University.
The Principal of the Year Stephanie Ayscue and Teacher of the Year Sara Lilley will now move forward in competing for the regional titles. The North Carolina State Principal of the Year and Teacher of the Year will be announced in the spring of 2021 and selected from the regional winners across the state.
Vance County Schools Superintendent Dr. Anthony Jackson presents the 2020-2021 Assistant Principal of the Year award to Shannon Bullock.
Vance County Schools Superintendent Dr. Anthony Jackson presents the 2020-2021 Beginning Teacher of the Year award to Sheneika Campbell.
Vance County Schools Superintendent Dr. Anthony Jackson presents the 2020-2021 Principal of the Year award to Stephanie Ayscue.
2020-2021 Teacher of the Year Sara Lilley, a 3rd-grade teacher at Clarke Elementary School, poses with her awards in front of the district office.
Federal Grant Will Fund Missing Link on Southeast Rail Corridor
/by WIZS Staff100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL
-Press Release, N.C. Department of Transportation
The N.C Department of Transportation has received a $47.5 million federal grant to purchase the S-Line rail corridor between Raleigh and Ridgeway in Warren County.
The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded this grant to the department’s Rail Division as part of the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program. This investment into the Southeast Corridor will provide better connections between rural and urban communities while also spurring new economic development opportunities.
In addition, the corridor will help offer improved freight services and will trim up to 1.5 hours off passenger rail services between Raleigh, Virginia and D.C.
“A modernized freight and passenger rail network will connect the Southeast while spurring new economic development opportunities,” said Transportation Secretary Eric Boyette.
In 1992, the U.S. Department of Transportation named the Southeast Corridor as one of the first five federally designated higher-speed rail corridors in the country. The corridor is a network of passenger and freight rail that runs from Washington, D.C. to Jacksonville, Fla., encompassing D.C., Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida.
Granville Co. Public Schools Seeks Substitute Teachers
/by WIZS Staff100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL
-Information courtesy Granville County Public Schools
Do you love children? Would you like some steady part-time work that pays well? Would you like to make a difference in our community?
Then consider becoming a SUBSTITUTE TEACHER today!
Interested candidates must pass a criminal background check and be at least 18 years old. Candidates must also complete a comprehensive training session prior to starting work. Granville County Public Schools will work with individuals on preferences for grade levels and/or particular schools.
Please visit the GCPS website HERE for more information and then begin the process by emailing Kathy Bradley at bradleyk@gcs.k12.nc.us
(This is not a paid advertisement)
GRRO Hires 25 Community Health Workers to Fight COVID-19 in Rural NC
/by WIZS Staff100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL
-Press Release, Green Rural Redevelopment, Inc.
On Friday, September 25, 2020, 25 community health workers will complete their training and be deployed into communities in Granville, Vance, Franklin, Warren, Nash, Pitt, Halifax and Wake Counties.
Green Rural Redevelopment, Inc. (GRRO) a non-profit organization, has been focused on providing access to healthy food and meals to people in the Kerr-Tar region. Henry Crews, the Executive Director of GRRO notes, “We saw the devastation that the pandemic has brought to our community, and we used our organizational flexibility to expand our programming and grow our team, to reach the ever-increasing numbers of rural residents who have been impacted by the Coronavirus.”
In a partnership with Curamericas Global, Duke Family Medicine & Community Health and the North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services, GRRO will join a statewide network of agencies that provide frontline support services, resources and help for residents impacted by the Coronavirus. These efforts are made possible by funding from The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Federal funding made available to the State for pandemic relief services.
Working with local county Health Departments, the trained CHW teams will work with families and individuals who have been directly and indirectly impacted by COVID-19.
On Friday, area Medical Directors and others from the health department will meet with the new support teams to coordinate referrals and service delivery to area residents.
Green Rural Redevelopment, Inc. (GRRO) is a 501(c)(3) organization committed to positively impacting our community by providing avenues of economic development using food agriculture and food supply chain economics in the face of persistent poverty; access to fresh, healthy foods for vulnerable members of the community; and support for health providers to reduce certain chronic diseases through patient access to better, fresh foods.
If you would like more information about this topic, please call Lucette Mercer at (303) 912-2520 or email lucettem@grronc.org.
Town Talk 09/24/20: Location, Array of Activities Credited for Granville’s Increased Tourism Dollars
/by Kelly Bondurant100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL
Angela Allen, director of the Granville County Tourism Development Authority, appeared on WIZS’ Town Talk Thursday at 11 a.m.
Allen discussed the recent announcement that visitor spending in Granville County for 2019 represented an increase of 4.5 percent over the previous year.
According to the annual study by Visit North Carolina, a part of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, visitor spending in Granville totaled $54.79 million last year, compared to the $52.44 million reported in 2018.
County Tourism Development Authority
“I’m very pleased about last year and the things we were able to do to bring in visitors,” said Allen. “I go back to the same basic things that attract people to our area, including our proximity to the Triangle and our laid-back, family atmosphere.”
According to a recent press release, visitor spending in Granville County has seen a steady increase over the past decade – from $37 million reported in 2010 to approximately $55 million in 2019.
Allen attributes the increase in visitor spending to the local economic growth seen in the opening of new restaurants and retail establishments, the expansion of outdoor trail and park opportunities and the County’s new ‘Uniquely Carolina’ marketing campaign.
Acknowledging that the COVID-19 pandemic and its resulting restrictions will affect tourism spending for the foreseeable future, Allen said recent reports of increased visitors at the NC coast and mountains left her feeling hopeful about what she called the “filtering” of tourism dollars.
“The beaches and the mountains are our guinea pigs at this point,” Allen explained. “If people feel safe enough to go to those types of areas, then I think it will trickle down to people being more apt to go back to their rural areas and even some urban areas. I’m looking at it as a positive thing because at least people are getting out.”
To learn more, visit www.visitgranvillenc.com or contact Allen by phone at (919) 693-6125 or by email at angela.allen@granvillecounty.org.
To hear the interview in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.
Local Noon News Audio 9/24/20
/by WIZS Staff100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL
Vance County EMS Selected as a 2020 Mission Lifeline Award Recipient
Green Rural Redevelopment, Inc. (GRRO) has hired 25 Health Workers to Fight COVID-19 in Rural NC
Duke Energy Offering Extended Payment Plan Options
Click Play to Listen to Full Details…
Energy Progress
Vance County EMS Selected as a 2020 Mission Lifeline Award Recipient
/by WIZS Staff100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL
-Information and photos courtesy the County of Vance
Vance County EMS was recently selected as a 2020 Mission Lifeline Award recipient by the American Heart Association.
On Wednesday, County Manager Jordan McMillen and Chairman of the Board Gordon Wilder presented Paramedic Christopher Rigg with a certificate of appreciation for his role in coordinating the application process. The County also presented Director Javier Plummer and the entire department with a certificate in recognition of their accomplishments leading to this award.
McMillen said the County appreciates all public safety workers and first responders and congratulates Vance EMS on this accomplishment.
New VGCC Scholarship Endowed in Memory of George Ronald ‘Ronnie’ Daniel
/by WIZS StaffTHIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY
-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College
Faye Daniel Chappell and her brother, R. T. “Tom” Daniel, both of Oxford, recently established a new scholarship at Vance-Granville Community College in memory of their brother, George R. “Ronnie” Daniel.
VGCC will award the Ronnie Daniel Memorial Academic Achievement Scholarship to a student from Granville County. Preference will be given to students in programs of study related to information technology or medical fields. VGCC Health Sciences programs include Radiography, Nursing, Histotechnology, Medical Assisting and Pharmacy Technology.
A new scholarship was recently established at Vance-Granville Community College in memory of the late George R. “Ronnie” Daniel. VGCC will award the Ronnie Daniel Memorial Academic Achievement Scholarship to a student from Granville County. (Photo courtesy the Daniel family.)
“Ronnie would be pleased that from this memorial scholarship, many others will join the ranks of healthcare professionals,” Faye Daniel Chappell said.
Ronnie Daniel was born and raised in Oxford and remained there until his death in 2019. He graduated from J.F. Webb High School in 1967 and attended Hardbarger Business College in Raleigh. Daniel was employed by Food Lion for the last 15 years before he retired. While there, he was a faithful employee, never missing a day of work. He received several awards and recognitions while employed.
“Ronnie had a very outgoing personality and never met a stranger. His ability to interact with people enabled him to form many lifelong friendships. He enjoyed traveling. He particularly loved Disney World and had been there six times throughout the years. He also loved history, especially that which pertained to Granville County. He enjoyed getting out to use his Metal Detector, collecting coins and geodes,” his siblings, R.T. “Tom” Daniel and Faye Daniel Chappell, recalled.
“Thanks to this family’s generosity, the Ronnie Daniel Scholarship will support hard-working students for years to come by allowing them to complete training for rewarding careers,” said Dr. Rachel Desmarais, VGCC’s president.
“We are honored that Faye and Tom would choose to celebrate the life of their brother, Ronnie, by helping VGCC students achieve their educational goals,” added VGCC Endowment Director Eddie Ferguson.
Through the Endowment Fund, VGCC has awarded more than 9,700 scholarships to students since 1982. Scholarships have been endowed by numerous individuals, industries, businesses, civic groups, churches and the college’s faculty and staff. Tax-deductible donations to the VGCC Endowment Fund have often been used to honor or remember a person, group, business or industry with a lasting gift to education. For more information, call (252) 738-3409.
After Second Public Hearing, City to Move Forward With Coronavirus Grant Application
/by WIZS Staff100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL
Henderson City Manager E. Terrell Blackmon provided WIZS with the following summary of the City’s second public hearing regarding the submission of a Coronavirus-related Community Development Block Grant (CDBG-CV). The hearing was held Wednesday, September 23, 2020.
There was no one present to speak for or against the City’s proposed Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus Application (CDBG-CV) at Wednesday’s second public hearing on the matter.
The purpose of the hearing, very similar to the first, was to receive citizen input regarding the City’s intent to apply for Community Development Block Grant CDBG Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) funds from the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Rural Economic Development Division (REDD). The North Carolina CDBG-CV Program is designed to help non-entitlement municipalities or counties to prepare, prevent, or respond to the health and economic impacts of COVID-19.
As noted by Governor Roy Cooper, “efforts to support families, small business, and economic recovery remain critical” during the COVID-19 pandemic. In support of these public health and economic recovery goals, North Carolina CDBG-CV Program projects must incorporate at least one of the following as an area of focus:
The State has established the following funding priorities by eligible activity:
The City of Henderson is proposing to utilize the funds primarily to address eligible activities in the Public Service category, such as subsistence payments to prevent evictions and utility disconnections. In addition, broadband services and enhancing internet falls under the Public facilities category.
The maximum grant is $900,000, which the City intends to apply for, and the grant period is 30 months or less. Applications are being accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis as of September 1, 2020, and there is $26.55 million available in funding.
Now that the City has met the public hearing requirements, its plan is to finalize and submit an application to the State by the end of September, but no later than early October.
Planning Committee to Consider White Goods Disposal at Hwy 39 Convenience Site
/by WIZS Staff100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL
-Information courtesy the County of Vance
Please be informed that Vance County’s Planning Committee (Faines, Kelly, Wilder) is scheduled to meet Tuesday, September 29, 2020, at 4 p.m.
The meeting will be held in the Administrative Conference Room of the Vance County Administration Building located at 122 Young Street, Henderson, NC.
The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the possibility of taking white goods to the Hwy 39 Convenience Site.