Tag Archive for: #hendersonnews

Henderson Collegiate Teacher Charged With Taking Indecent Liberties With A Minor

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A former teacher with Henderson Collegiate school was charged by Henderson Police on June 16.

Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow told WIZS News, “Trevor Major Rorie of 145 Cambridge Way, Henderson was charged with six counts of felony indecent liberties with a minor, one count of misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile and one count of misdemeanor child abuse.  A secure bond amount of $210,000 was set.  Rorie was jailed, and the court date will be July 5, 2016. The investigation will continue to determine if further charges are warranted.  The State Bureau of Investigation assisted with the investigation.”

Henderson Collegiate school posted on its web page on June 16 a letter from Executive Director Eric Sanchez.  Sanchez spoke to WIZS News and gave permission to re-publish the letter.

It was addressed to Henderson Collegiate families and says, “We recently learned that a former second-year teacher at Henderson Collegiate High School has been arrested and charged with engaging in inappropriate physical contact with students. Upon first learning of these allegations, we immediately placed the teacher on leave and notified the Henderson Police Department. We have since terminated the teacher’s employment and turned the matter over to the police, and we are cooperating fully with the investigation.

“This news is disturbing for all of us. The staff and I take the well-being and general safety of your children seriously, and we acted quickly and forcefully in this instance to eliminate any further risk to the student body.

“As all of you already know, our Pride of parents, students, and staff mean the world to me. I am available if you have any questions or concerns,” and Sanchez provided his contact information.

In a phone interview, Sanchez told WIZS News, “The question we are getting from a lot of supportive people is ‘How are we doing? How are we enduring and coping with this situation?’  And it’s a valid question.  There’s the normal thoughts that anyone would guess.  And I’m not saying myself.  I’m saying all of us, our community, myself included.

“What we are trying to do within this situation, as anybody would do when you face adversity, is to turn it into a real learning experience.  And the experience that we want people to have, definitely within our community, is that there is a bigger conversation around what it means to have appropriate relationships, around safety that people are having these conversations with their children, that we’re having our conversations with our students so these types of situations don’t reach the level that they unfortunately seem to have.”

Sanchez continued, “The other piece of that that I think is important with us is that we’re a school that has had a lot of success and celebrated a lot of great things as a school and as a community, and this is a time that we should not abandon that type of mindset.  It should actually push it even more where we come together as a pride, as a school and really support one another as we seek to heal.”

He said, “We are just trying to support this investigation as much as we can.  We acted quickly and tried to be very responsible, and we are doing everything we can to support the police and their efforts – one to do their investigation but two to also make sure people feel safe to come forward if anyone has been affected by it.”

Henderson Middle School Uniforms

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Students who attend Henderson Middle School will be required to wear school uniforms for the 2016-2017 school year following action by the Vance County Board of Education on June 13.

The board approved a recommendation by Superintendent Anthony Jackson that the school be allowed to require the uniforms based on information shared by Principal John Hargrove and school staff members.

Hargrove and his staff presented a detailed report to the board members on how they sought staff and parent input during the planning for student uniforms, the advantages of having student uniforms and what the uniforms will include.

Hargrove noted that in a survey process, carried out over several weeks, parents of students overwhelmingly favored the requirement for student uniforms. He also explained that student uniforms are $10 to $15 cheaper than regular clothing per outfit and will eliminate any stigma or differences among students, thus improving discipline and the overall environment for students at the school.

The student uniforms will consist of white, royal blue or light blue knit shirts (with collars) and khaki, navy blue or black pants. All students must wear shirts tucked in and belts at all times. Certain shoes, which include solid-colored white, black or brown shoes, must be worn at all times by all students. The shoes can be loafer, lace-up or buckle shoes (for girls).

Henderson Middle joins Pinkston Street and L.B. Yancey elementary schools in requiring students to wear uniforms.

(Vance County Schools Press Release)

Community College System’s top honor presented to former VGCC president

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Dr. Ben F. Currin, the former president of Vance-Granville Community College, formally received the highest honor bestowed by the North Carolina Community College System, the I.E. Ready Award, at a recent ceremony.

Held on May 27 at the Brio restaurant in Raleigh, the luncheon marked a VGCC “family reunion” that brought together longtime college trustees, Endowment Fund Board members and senior administrators. Exactly half of VGCC’s six presidents were in attendance, including Dr. Currin; Robert A. Miller, who succeeded Currin; and Dr. Stelfanie Williams, the current president. Currin was joined by his wife, Betsy, herself a veteran educator and former vice president of Nash Community College.

Janet Lowder of Albemarle, N.C., the vice-chair of the State Board of Community Colleges, was on hand to officially present the award and medallion to Currin.

Named for Isaac Epps Ready, the first state director of the North Carolina Community College System, the prestigious award was created in 1983 to recognize individuals who have made significant, statewide contributions to the establishment, development or enhancement of the System. Previous winners of the I.E. Ready Award include former governors, former state legislators, former members of the State Board of Community Colleges, former Council of State members, former United States Senators, former college trustees, former college presidents and former System presidents.

Currin’s 40-year career in public education included serving as president of VGCC for 18 years starting in 1981. Under Currin’s leadership, VGCC grew from one campus to four, with a total of almost $18 million worth of new construction at all the campuses. Early in his tenure, VGCC also reactivated the college’s Endowment Fund, which grew from $12,000 in 1982 to $5 million at the time of his retirement and provided scholarships for numerous students. In retirement, Currin, who lives in Raleigh, continues to serve on the Endowment Fund Board of Directors.

Speaking at the ceremony, Currin said that VGCC’s service area was “the most gracious community I’ve ever lived in.” He recalled the generous support that the college received while he was president, sometimes quite unexpectedly. In 1998, retired librarian Nannie A. Crowder of Henderson and retired business executive Robert B. “Bob” Butler of Warrenton died on the same day, leaving more than $800,000 and more than $2 million, respectively, to VGCC. In Butler’s case, the bequest was a complete surprise, as he had no history of giving to the college and had not told college officials of his intentions. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” Currin marveled, adding that he was equally impressed with all the other, smaller donations from citizens and businesses in the four-county area.

“It was just the most rewarding job I’ve ever had,” he said of his VGCC tenure. “I’m so proud to have served and to have been part of the growth of the college. I’m very honored and thankful for being recognized.”

During the ceremony, several attendees made remarks honoring the former president’s leadership, including James Edwards, the current VGCC director of communications who was hired by Currin in 1989 as marketing director; Eddie Ferguson, the Endowment Fund director who is also Currin’s cousin; Robert Hubbard, who was recruited by Currin to serve on the Endowment board and is now its vice-chairman; Opie Frazier and Donald Seifert, both longtime VGCC trustees and Endowment board members; and Robert Miller, who served under Currin both in the Rocky Mount City Schools and as a VGCC official.

“He hired me for my first job out of college, 46 years ago,” Miller said. “I cannot think of any individual that would be more deserving of this award than Ben Currin. I not only appreciate what he’s done for me, but what he’s done for education and what he’s done for Vance-Granville Community College.”

Dr. Williams congratulated Currin and thanked him for his service to the college and to North Carolina. “When I became president of VGCC in 2012, one of the first people I called was Dr. Currin. He then took me to lunch, and we go to lunch every few months or so, but I have to say, this is my favorite lunch, because I’m so happy to share this moment with you,” Williams said to her predecessor. “You are such a deserving recipient of the I.E. Ready Award. You have left a great legacy at our college, and it is an honor to continue to move the college forward and build upon that foundation that you created.”

A native of Granville County and a graduate of Oxford High School, Currin received his bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1959. He earned his master’s degree in education in 1962 and his advanced graduate certificate in professional education in 1963, both from UNC. He received his doctorate in education from UNC in 1970 in education administration with a minor in political science.

Currin assumed the VGCC presidency after having served as a teacher, coach and public school administrator, including 11 years as superintendent of Rocky Mount City Schools. While in Rocky Mount, he also taught graduate courses at East Carolina University as an adjunct professor.

VGCC student leaders graduate, continuing their education

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Vance-Granville Community College recently celebrated the graduation of a number of outgoing leaders in its Student Government Association (SGA), sending many of them off to four-year universities, including Duke, East Carolina, N.C. State, N.C. Wesleyan, NCCU and UNC-Charlotte.

Among them is Lydia Hendrick of Oxford, SGA senator for the college’s South Campus, who graduated with both an Associate in Arts and an Associate in Science degree as a Granville Early College High School student. Hendrick accomplished that feat in four years rather than the typical five. She is now on her way to Duke University in the fall with her entire first year covered by the Washington Duke Scholars Program. “It is a relatively new program designed to support first-generation college students with demonstrated financial need,” Hendrick explained. “I am so grateful that I received this scholarship and the opportunities that come with it; without it, attending Duke University would just be a far off dream.” She called her VGCC degrees “the best foundation that I could ever have to build upon.”

Like Hendrick, SGA Secretary/Treasurer Isabelle Louise Snyder of Butner also graduated with both degrees through Granville Early College High School. Snyder, her high school valedictorian, is planning to continue her education at N.C. State University. Daniel Davis of Norlina, the SGA Parliamentarian, completed both degrees as a Warren Early College High School student and served as the college’s student speaker for commencement. He is headed to East Carolina University in the fall to study business, with future plans to go to law school. “Early College at VGCC gave me a smooth transition from high school to the college experience,” Davis said. “It made me responsible and gave me more confidence.”

His Warren Early College High School classmate, Shane O’Malley of Inez, the senate chair for Main Campus and Warren Campus, is transferring to N.C. State to major in animal science. Her goal is to become a veterinarian. “I definitely feel that my experience at Vance-Granville has prepared me well to take on a four-year university, because I’ve been taking college classes since I was a freshman in high school,” O’Malley said. She decided to go to VGCC through the Early College program “to get on my career path as fast as possible,” she said.

Another future member of the Wolfpack is SGA Vice President Cassandra Saroza of Louisburg, who was a Franklin County Early College High School student and graduated with an Associate in Arts. At NCSU, Saroza intends to double-major in biological sciences and psychology and minor in cognitive science. She will her start her four-year university experience with a study-abroad trip to Colombia in June and July, which will earn her a Sociology credit. She has received several scholarships from NCSU. Saroza praises her VGCC instructors, whom she called “passionate about the subjects they teach, and always willing to help you….Everyone at VGCC wants you to succeed.”

SGA President Aleria Perry of Henderson, Public Information Officer Keyanté Lindsey of Oxford, and Samantha Huffman of Durham, senator for South Campus, also each completed an Associate in Arts degree. Perry, a U.S. Army veteran, is planning to continue her education without having to leave VGCC’s campus through the new Eagle Voyage program at North Carolina Central University. The program will offer a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. Perry would like to attend law school after completing that degree, and credits her VGCC graduation with giving her “a boost in self-esteem.”

Lindsey, meanwhile, is planning to transfer to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte to study physical therapy. At VGCC, he was a member of the Vanguards basketball team and performed in the recent dramatic production of “Deathtrap.” He and his fellow officers are proud of what they accomplished through SGA. “We made a big difference on campus,” Lindsey said, citing VGCC’s first-ever pep rally and talent show, for which he and O’Malley served as emcees. “We’ve gotten great feedback from events like that.” He said he would always appreciate the friendships he made at the college. “It’s like a big family here,” Lindsey said.

Angelique Taylor of Macon, assistant secretary/treasurer for SGA, graduated with a degree in Human Services Technology/Substance Abuse. She completed her degree while raising a child as a single mother. Now, Taylor will attend North Carolina Wesleyan College on a full scholarship. She plans to double-major in biomedical science and psychology, with ultimate plans to go to medical school and specialize in forensic pathology. “I want to be an example for single mothers to say if I can get through this while pregnant and raising a child, you can do it, too,” Taylor said. “So many single mothers think they have to wait until their child is older to go to college, but at Vance-Granville, there are people here to help.”

Dianna DeWeese of Creedmoor, senate chair for South Campus, completed degrees in Accounting and Business Administration. She is transferring to N.C. State University to continue studying the same subjects. N.C. State’s bachelor’s degree in accounting is consistently ranked as one of the top 35 undergraduate accounting programs in the country. DeWeese, who came to VGCC after being retired, is interested in forensic accounting. “I’m the first person in my family to get a college degree,” she said, excluding her husband, Jacob, who graduated from the VGCC Culinary Arts program last year. She encourages VGCC students “to take advantage of every opportunity that Vance-Granville gives you.” DeWeese served as a tutor, a student ambassador and president of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society. She recalled that people she met as an ambassador later provided her with letters of recommendation.

One graduate, Emory Gant-Hawkins of Henderson, SGA senator for Main Campus, completed a Culinary Arts degree but is actually returning to VGCC in the fall to complete a degree in Business Administration.

“We are proud of how these graduates have developed their leadership skills and served their fellow students,” VGCC Vice President of Employee and Public Relations Stacey Carter-Coley. “They seized some unique opportunities that our college afforded them and have positioned themselves well for future professional and personal success. We are grateful for their contributions, which have set positive examples for Vanguard student leaders.”

News 06/16/16

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Speedway to Healthy: Take A Walk Through The Human Body

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Speedway to Healthy
Southern Vance High School
June 21-­23, 2016
10am-­3pm

Press Release

On behalf of Vance/Warren 4-­H, Southern Vance High School, Boys and Girls Club,YMCA, Henderson/Vance Recreation and Parks Department and NC A&T State University Cooperative Extension program, we would like to invite you to come see our students participating in a program that puts kids on a fast track to healthy habits.
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What: Speedway to Healthy is a 1,200-­square-­foot, walk-­through exhibit representing the human body. This creative educational exhibit teaches children in kindergarten through fifth (K-­5) grades how the foods they eat affect their bodies and their health.

When: Tuesday June 21-­Thursday June 23 from 9:00 a.m.-­3:00 p.m.

Where: The exhibit is located inside the Gymnasium at Southern Vance High School, located at 925 Garrett Road, Henderson, NC 27537.

Significance: Participants will have an opportunity to experience this unique traveling exhibit focusing on the human body. Childhood obesity is a widespread issue in the state and the nation, with North Carolina having the 23rd highest rate of childhood obesity. The Speedway to Healthy project was created as a resource to fight childhood obesity and poor health among children in North Carolina.

Volunteers Make it Happen: Volunteers are at the heart of the Speedway-to-­Healthy experience. Volunteer crew members help build the exhibit structure, take it down, and conduct the five-­minute presentations in each pit stop. To sign up to volunteer visit https://vols.pt/xpwRTM or contact Ann Burrows at 252-­438-8188.

Contact: Morris White, Vance County Extension Director, 252-­438-8188 OR morris_white@ncsu.edu

Please let us know if you are able to join us to experience this fun-­filled educational opportunity.

Persons with disabilities and persons with limited English proficiency may request accommodations to participate by contacting Morris F. White, III, County Extension Director, at 252-438-­8188, morris_white@ncsu.edu (email) or 252-492-­3830 (fax), or in person at the Vance County Extension Office at least five (5) business days prior to the event.

North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, or veteran’s status. In addition, the two universities welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation. North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Local governments cooperating.

Pendergrass To Attend NC Governor’s School

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Connor Pendergrass, a rising senior at Northern Vance High School, has been selected to attend the prestigious North Carolina Governor’s School program this summer.

Pendergrass is the only student from Vance County Schools selected to attend the summer residential program this year. He was chosen to participate in the program based on his high academic achievements.

He will attend the Governor’s School west campus at Salem College in Winston-Salem.

Pendergrass will participate in the enrichment program June 19 through July 27. He will live on the campus of Salem College during his participation. During his Governor’s School experience, he will focus on studies in mathematics, but also will be exposed to a wide range of liberal arts instruction and discussion with leading educational instructors and top high school students from across the state.

Students in the Governor’s School program also attend the program on the east campus at Meredith College in Raleigh.

Pendergrass is the son of Chris and Lisa Pendergrass of Henderson.

(Vance County Schools Press Release)

News 06/15/16

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Henderson Man Faces Numerous Charges

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Henderson Police Department Press Release

On Monday, June 13, 2016, members of the Henderson Police Department Special Operations Unit, Criminal Investigation Division, and U. S. Marshall’s arrested Antoine Clack. Clack, 24, of 1218 Toppleman Street, Henderson was placed in the Vance County Jail without privilege of bond. Clack was wanted by the North Carolina Department of Corrections as an absconder and for violating the terms and conditions of his parole.HPD - Clack - 061416

Charges of first degree kidnapping, first degree burglary, larceny of a motor vehicle, flee/elude arrest with a motor vehicle, assault with a deadly weapon against a government official were lodged by investigators after an incident this past weekend. On Sunday, June 12, Henderson Police Officers responded to 517 Hickory Street. Police were informed that Shante Brown of the residence was forcibly removed from the residence. Brown was released safely at a later time.

During the arrest operation, officers charged Clack with the following additional offenses: Conspiring to traffic in opium/heroin (2 counts), sell and delivery of heroin, resisting a public officer, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possessing a stolen firearm, felony possession of cocaine, and manufacturing heroin.

Clack was placed in the Vance County Jail without privilege of bond for the parole violation. Bond in the amount of 375,000.00 was set for the remaining charges. The defendant will appear in Vance County District Court on June 27, 2016.

Authority: Chief Marcus Barrow

City Council Approves New Budget

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On Monday night, the Henderson City Council approved the fiscal year 2016-2017 budget.

There was little discussion before the final budget of $38,065,594 was adopted.  The budget review process has been underway for the past six weeks.

Set was the property tax rate at $0.712 to each $100.00 in valuation on taxable property.  Despite an increase of .092 (9.2 cents) from this year’s budget, it is not believed that many folks will see an increase in their property tax payments.  Many properties in Vance County suffered a 12-to-15 percent decrease in value in the most recent valuation completed.

Water rates increased by three percent.  The vehicle tax increased from $10.00 to $30.00.

The demolition funds for property jointly owned with Vance County was established at $33,000, down from the original proposed $80,000.  The remaining $47,000 will be held in contingency and will be utilized if or when the County increases its funds for further demolition.

The adopted budget does include more funds for the Henderson Downtown Development plan.