Tag Archive for: #hendersonnews
VGCC Students inducted into Honor Society
Vance-Granville Community College recognized 55 students who were inducted into Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for students of two-year colleges, on April 19 in the Civic Center on the college’s Main Campus. VGCC students honored with induction into Phi Theta Kappa must have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.5 (3.75 for part-time students) in associate degree curriculum programs and have completed at least 12 credit hours toward their degrees.
As advisors for VGCC’s PTK chapter, instructors Dan Miller, Isaac Talley and Maureen Walters conducted the ceremony. Walters, the head advisor, told the new inductees and their families and friends in attendance that since VGCC’s chapter of PTK, “Alpha Sigma Chi,” was chartered in 1991, more than 1,900 students have been selected for induction. She said that while scholarship is the first aim of PTK, the society also encourages fellowship, leadership development and service to others, and she noted that the letters Phi Theta Kappa stand for the Greek words for “Wisdom,” “Aspiration” and “Purity.”
The ceremony featured remarks from a student, Dianna DeWeese of Creedmoor, who serves as chapter president. DeWeese lauded the chapter’s new inductees on their hard work and the wise choices they had made that led to their academic success. “Scholarship is more than just getting good grades,” DeWeese said. “It is a lifelong love of learning.”
Serving as guest speaker for the ceremony was Jackie Sergent, the mayor of Oxford and retired Health Education Supervisor for the Granville-Vance District Health Department. Sergent congratulated the college on the 25th anniversary of its Phi Theta Kappa chapter and remarked that “we are blessed to have Vance-Granville Community College in our area.” She added her words of congratulations to the honored students on their success, which was “not only in your achievements but in the journey you took to get here,” she said. “Our personal growth depends more upon the struggle than the reward.” Sergent noted that many students juggle jobs and other responsibilities in addition to their studies. “Because of your academic excellence, you are in a position to continue on the path to being a leader in your community,” the mayor told the students.
This year’s inductees into the Alpha Sigma Chi chapter of Phi Theta Kappa are:
From Franklin County
Ashleigh Ray of Bunn;
Jasmine Blacknall, Anita Fuller, Pamela Swanson, Benjamin Taylor and Heather Taylor, all of Franklinton;
Adair Avila Soria, Cassidy Hinkle, H’Kera Ktul, Allison Leonard, Kelly Persinger and Kevin Tart, all of Louisburg;
Katrina Hodges, Stephanie Hommel, Lisa Sullivan and Christopher Worner, all of Youngsville.
From Granville County
Kaleb Williamson of Bullock;
William Unger of Butner;
Dylan Breedlove and Anna Tilley, both of Creedmoor;
Loren McCuiston of Franklinton;
Kristy Ball, Pamela Barker, Angelica Bridges, Schnail Bynum-Daniel, Doris Cable, Amy Greene, Ashley McEntee, Lane Phipps, Meghan Rossi and Thomas Thompson, all of Oxford;
Randy Bullock and Kevin Rumsey, both of Stem.
From Vance County
Donnie Ayscue, Jennifer Burns, Mary Elberson, Emory Gant-Hawkins, Harli Sams, Jakayla Thorpe and Hayya Wright, all of Henderson.
From Warren County
Marshella Ashby and Pamela Campbell, both of Littleton;
Shawn Miles of Manson;
Joseph Lambertz and Melissa Tucker, both of Norlina;
Meri Blake and Jamisha Twitty, both of Warrenton.
From Wake County
Lauren Dorn, Lori Eitel and Haley Watkins, all of Wake Forest;
Donna Pearce of Zebulon.
From other counties
Trevor Houston and Jessica Huffman, both of Durham;
Maria Govea and James Lea, both of Roxboro.
VGCC to offer Private Pilot Ground School
Vance-Granville Community College will soon offer a course that prepares area residents to take flight with a private pilot’s license.
The Private Pilot Ground School is scheduled to be held on VGCC’s South Campus, located between Creedmoor and Butner, on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 until 9:30 p.m., May 18 through July 27. In this course, students gain the knowledge they will need to take the FAA private pilot written exam, under FAA-certified flight instructors from Blue Line Aviation. Students who complete the course will also receive a discount on an introductory flight lesson with Blue Line.
The instructor, Blue Line Aviation president Charles “Trey” Walters of Wake Forest, has deep connections to VGCC, even though this is his first time teaching the course in partnership with the college. His grandmother, Reba Walters, was a VGCC Nursing instructor. His father, Ray Walters (who is also a longtime pilot), taught business classes at VGCC after retiring from SAS in Cary.
Trey Walters took VGCC criminal justice courses through a dual-enrollment program while in high school. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. He also served in the Civil Air Patrol, and was awarded the Billy Mitchell Award for becoming a cadet officer. During his career in the Air Force Reserve, Walters was a member of the Security Forces, which included duties in the military police with some air base defense functions. He served a six month deployment to Iraq.
Walters continued taking online courses at VGCC while serving in the Air Force, even while in Iraq. When his tour of duty ended, he went back to classes at the Main Campus, became a Raleigh police officer and then completed his VGCC Criminal Justice degree after taking additional online courses.
Simultaneously, Walters continued to work on pilot training. He started flight training when he was 13. His first solo flight was on his 16th birthday, and he obtained his private pilot license when he was 17. He flew recreationally until 2011, when he decided to get more advanced certifications. Walters earned his Commercial Pilot license, Flight Instructor license, Instrument Instructor license, Commercial Multi-Engine license, and multi-engine instructor licenses in 2012.
In August of 2012, he founded Blue Line Aviation with his wife, Kelsey. The business grew rapidly, leading Walters to resign from the Raleigh Police Department to work there full-time in early 2013. Walters also rejoined the Civil Air Patrol in 2014. Currently, he serves as a Captain in the Raleigh Unit. He volunteers as a search and rescue mission pilot, instructor pilot and check pilot. “I believe that using our resources to give back and make a positive difference in the world is one of our most important duties as Americans,” Walters said. He is excited about the new venture with VGCC.
“There is a huge demand for pilots, mechanics, air traffic controllers, and training for drone operators. Through our partnership, we can build the programs and infrastructure to fill those jobs by veterans and members of the local community,” he said.
The cost of the Private Pilot Ground School, including all materials, is $280.
“We are excited about having a private pilot ground school here at VGCC, which is advantageously located near several airports,” said VGCC Personal Enrichment Coordinator Gail Clark. “Our partnership with Blue Line Aviation gives us the opportunity to offer this program and help students move to the next level with a team.”
The deadline to register for this class is May 17. Prospective students can register online at www.vgcc.edu/ped or in person at Main Campus (in Henderson), Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information, contact Gail Clark at (252) 738-3385 or ped@vgcc.edu.
Monday Morning Pick-Me-Up with Java Dave’s
Java Dave’s Coffee and Internet Cafe and WIZS have teamed up for another new contest. Every Monday morning, Java Dave’s and WIZS will be traveling to a local business to reward employees for working hard (and showing up on time). Java Dave’s Coffee and Internet Cafe will supply free coffee and some type of treat, and WIZS will bring t-shirts.
The second Java Dave’s Monday Morning Pick-Me-Up winner was Vance-Granville Community College‘s South Campus. Students and staff were treated to free coffee and Java Dave’s signature chocolate chip cookies.
Who knows where Java Dave and WIZS will be next week.
To nominate your business just submit and email to kevin@wizs.com, and who knows, Java Dave and WIZS might get your Monday off to a good start!
Nationwide of Warren Co vs Screen Master
For just shy of 30 years, WIZS Radio has presented Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Department Baseball and Softball. Through the years these broadcasts have been presented with various different special features in addition to the play by play call of the game.
To compliment the games being heard on the radio at 1450 AM and online at wizs.com/listennow, this year’s games will also be more available than ever with an archive on our sports page at wizs.com/sports.
Here is a link to our first broadcast of the 2016 regular season between Nationwide Insurance of Warren County and Screen Master.
Later in the year, H-V All-Star games will be broadcast LIVE on 1450 AM, on WIZS.com and archived on our sports page.
Recycling Day, Sat. April 23
The Vance County Appearance Commission is sponsoring another Henderson-Vance Spring Litter Sweep Week, April 18-23, and a Henderson-Vance Recycling Day on Saturday, April 23, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the parking lot of the City Operations Center on Beckford Drive in Henderson.
The Spring Litter Sweep Week is part of the North Carolina Spring Litter Sweep scheduled over the last two weeks of April.
Our Spring Litter Sweep Week efforts will target areas throughout Vance County that need cleaning up. We encourage volunteers from the community, churches, businesses, schools, civic groups, community watch groups, Adopt-A-Highway groups and more to join in these efforts. Volunteers may clean up areas they have identified or can be sent to designated areas in the city and county.
Volunteers may pick up supplies of bags, gloves and safety vests (if cleaning up along streets and roadsides) during the Spring Litter Sweep Week from Terri Hedrick at the Vance County Schools’ administrative offices at 1724 Graham Avenue in Henderson or the City Operations Center at 900 South Beckford Drive in Henderson.
Citizens are encouraged to bring recyclable items to the Recycling Day event from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, April 23, in the front parking lot of the City Operations Center on Beckford Drive in Henderson. Representatives from a variety of vendors will be on hand to take recyclable items free of charge. The Recycling Day event is sponsored jointly with the City of Henderson and Vance County.
Items accepted during the Recycling Day event include:
- Documents for Shredding: accepting important, personal documents for shredding. These documents can include any confidential papers such as financial statements and tax documents.
- Old Televisions and Computer Hardware: accepting televisions of any type, computer monitors, computer CPUs (towers) and any computer mouse
- Household Recyclables: accepting letterhead/forms, photo copy paper, colored paper, drawing paper,
- note pad paper, newspaper, envelopes, brochures, file folders, index cards, invoices, juice boxes, milk cartons, milk jugs, plastic beverage bottles, detergent bottles, cartons and trays from microwaveable meals, aluminum cans, meal cans including those for soups and vegetable, phone books, paperback books, glass bottles and jars, cardboard
- Metal, Aluminum, Junk Car Parts: accepting anything made of metal, aluminum, junk car parts, machinery, lawn and garden equipment, farm equipment, brass, copper, appliances
- Reusable Clothing and Toys: accepting adult and children’s clothing, adult and children’s shoes, gently used toys
- Reusable Building Materials: accepting items that can be used in home repair construction projects and may include building materials, as well as useable appliances, cabinets, sinks, toilets, windows
Safe Kids of Vance County will be conducting automobile child safety seat checks and distributing child safety information to parents during the Recycling Day event.
All volunteers for the Spring Litter Sweep Week and Recycling Day are invited to a free lunch at the City Operations Center beginning at 12 p.m. on Saturday, April 23. The lunch is being sponsored by the Wisdom for Life Foundation of Jason Brown and the Fruit of the Spirit community group.
Litter Sweep Week volunteers who attend the free luncheon will qualify to win cash prizes. Volunteers should take photos of the number of trash bags they fill, the number of people in their group and the most unique item they find during their cleanup. They should present the photos to officials at the luncheon to be included in consideration for the cash awards.
To register to volunteer for the Spring Litter Sweep Week and be assigned a clean-up area or to get more information on these events, interested persons may contact Terri Hedrick by phone at 252-915-9420 or by email at thedrick@vcs.k12.nc.us.
(Press Release supplied to WIZS News by Terri Hedrick)