Tag Archive for: #hendersonnews

VGCC Scholarship established in memory of nurse Priscilla Brooks

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A new scholarship is being established at Vance-Granville Community College in memory of Priscilla Brooks, a longtime licensed practical nurse in Granville County. Brooks passed away suddenly on Jan. 13, 2016, at age 75.

“Priscilla was a great nurse and a problem-solver, inside and outside of the doctor’s office,” said John W. Watson, Jr., an attorney and the son of one of the doctors for whom Brooks worked. “More than anything, Priscilla enjoyed connecting with the people around her, whether they were patients, Duke medical students or the young nurses who attended to her in later days.”

Friends and family members established a memorial scholarship fund after her death and have collected more than $4,000. More contributions are needed to fully fund the scholarship, so that the college will be able to award it to students regularly. The ultimate goal is to raise $50,000, and an anonymous donor has pledged to match $5,000 in new contributions. The new scholarship is intended to assist VGCC Nursing students.

“Priscilla’s desire for nursing became evident early in life,” according to Ella Schmit of Oxford, one of Brooks’s three younger sisters. “One day, a large open truck carrying a troop of Boy Scouts accidentally turned upside down in front of her home and threw children all over the front yard, up and down the highway…. Priscilla and her mom ran out the door and Priscilla, at only 13 years old, immediately ran from one child to the next, helping them and treating them as best she could. It was apparent even then that she was a real nurse at heart.”

Determined to become a nurse, Brooks graduated from Stem High School with honors and went on to the Mary Elizabeth Hospital School of Nursing in Raleigh. She worked at a couple of hospitals, finally going to work for Doctors Watson and Tarry in Oxford. “She stayed with them for years, and she always called them ‘her’ doctors,” Schmit said. “When Dr. Watson retired, Dr. Eugene Day took over his practice. Priscilla continued to work for Dr. Day. She adored him and continued to give from her heart. She cared for her patients and doctors.” Patients, meanwhile, sometimes considered Brooks to be “one of the doctors,” Schmit recalled.

Brooks eventually retired after more than 40 years in nursing, but kept helping people all the way to the end, Schmit recalled. She was always caring and showing concern for people outside of the doctor’s office, tending to the sick in their homes. “She helped people stricken with Alzheimer’s to be able to stay at home as long as possible and assisted the elderly, making sure their medicines were correct, that they had proper nutrition, and that they felt safe,” Schmit said. She also loved to help children, who, like her family, called her “P” for short. “Priscilla wanted to make a difference in the world, and she truly did,” her sister said. “She was a confidant to so many people, and I am proud to call her my sister.” Brooks left behind a daughter, Lisa Jones, who resembles her mother in her appearance and in her compassionate heart, Schmit added.

“This scholarship will be a lasting way to honor and remember Priscilla’s incredible legacy of compassion and excellence in health care, and it will help VGCC Nursing students to follow in her footsteps,” said VGCC Endowment Director Eddie Ferguson.

Through the Endowment Fund, VGCC has awarded more than 8,500 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 or to make a contribution to help fully endow this scholarship, call Kay Currin at (252) 738-3409. Contributions may be mailed to the Vance-Granville Community College Endowment Fund at P.O. Box 917, Henderson, NC 27536.

News 07/29/16

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H/V Chamber Hosts Ribbon Cutting for Maria Parham’s New Wound Center

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The Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce celebrated the opening of The Advanced Wound Center’s new location with a ribbon cutting on Thursday, July 14 at 4:30pm at their Ruin Creek Road location.  “This is only one of more ribbon cuttings to come,” said Brian Sinotte, CEO, Maria Parham Medical Center.

Dr. Joseph Franklin, Medical Director, made remarks about the new advanced technology of the center and that his overall goal is to bring care to those that can’t go to larger healthcare facilities.  Remarks were also made by other representatives from the hospital, city, county and state officials about The Advanced Wound Center and how MPMC continues to grow and serve the needs of the community and surrounding areas.

At MPMC Advanced Wound Center, their team of providers help individuals struggling with wounds get on the fast track to recovery by managing their persistent wounds and ulcers with the latest technology and treatments.  In just the last five years, The Advanced Wound Center has had over 20,000 visits.

The new center offers two chambers for hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), an advanced therapy for patients who suffer from chronic wounds that are not responding to traditional therapies. Patients are placed in a pressurized chamber where they breathe 100 percent oxygen. The treatment delivers more oxygen to the body’s tissues, helping to heal wounds, save limbs and repair extensive tissue or bone damage.

It is a pain free approach to treating more than a dozen medical conditions and is approved by Medicare to treat patients with a  variety of medical conditions.

For more information, please contact them at 252-436-1700

High School students explore health and science at two VGCC campuses

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High school students from across the region recently attended “Mini-Medical School” camps organized by the Wake Area Health Education Center (AHEC) in partnership with Vance-Granville Community College. The camp was held first in June at VGCC’s South Campus, located between Butner and Creedmoor, and in July at the college’s Franklin County Campus, just outside Louisburg. Between the two locations, 44 students completed the program.

This was the college’s third summer partnering with Wake AHEC on the Mini-Medical School, which is an intensive, week-long day camp that uses computational science (computer simulation) and hands-on activities to study key aspects of medicine.

Students learned about topics that included anatomy and physiology, bioprocessing, biochemistry, pharmacology, cardiology, epidemiology, medical genetics and genomics. The course was taught primarily by Becky Brady, a registered nurse and chemical engineer. VGCC Bioprocess Technology program head/instructor Dr. Tara Hamilton also taught a session at each camp.

Faculty members from VGCC programs that prepare students for health-related careers — including Nursing, Medical Assisting, Radiography, Pharmacy Technology, Human Services Technology, and the college’s newest program, Histotechnology — gave students information about academic pathways and employment prospects and conducted hands-on activities on the last day of the camp.

Students not only had a chance to learn about careers and hone their science skills, but they also became certified in CPR and Youth Mental Health First Aid during the course of the program.

The students who completed the school at South Campus included Naim Bell and Sai Dasari, both of Apex Friendship High School; Koen Winemiller and Kiran Winemiller, both of Cary Academy; Gracie Athus of Cary Christian School; Sarah Flexman of Cary High School; Britney Dyck, a home-schooled student from Cary; Leah Paul, a recent graduate of Crossroads Christian School in Henderson; Saarika Virkar of Enloe High School in Raleigh; Sarah Doherty and Ellie Smith, both of Holly Springs High School; Tanay Singhal of the N.C. School of Science and Math; Jordan Bell of North Raleigh Christian Academy; Sri Rayarao of Panther Creek High School in Cary; LeAnn Black and  Hannah Bonini, both of South Granville High School; Riley Valencia of Southern Wake Academy in Holly Springs; Aryan Jain of Wake Early College of Health & Sciences; Samaria Lynch and Javia Wilson, both of Warren County High School; Mariam Assaedi of J.F. Webb School of Health & Life Sciences in Oxford; and Rose Vaughan of Woods Charter School in Chapel Hill.

Those who completed the program at Franklin Campus included Edin Medrano and Iris Medrano, both home-schooled students from Creedmoor; Karson Turner of Enloe High School in Raleigh; Rachel Hortman, a recent graduate of Fuquay-Varina High School; Yvon’ne Lyle of Garner High School; Saikiran Devanga Chinta of Green Hope High School in Cary; Jacob Harris of Henderson Collegiate School; Sascha Anderson of Vernon Malone College and Career Academy; Autumn Boone of Middle Creek High School in Apex; Lizzie Leegins and Jillian Radford, both of North Johnston High School; Caroline Pruitt of Sanderson High School in Raleigh; Sabrina Bedard, Nadia Hodges and Amanda McPhatter, both home-schooled students from Wake Forest; Sarah Bryant, Victoria Michel and Malik Pettis, all of Wake Forest High School; Kendall Smith and Brandon Yarborough, both of Wake Young Men’s Leadership Academy; Parker Stantz of Wakefield High School; and Bryson Vick of Warren County High School.

Wake AHEC serves nine counties in central North Carolina from its office in Raleigh: Durham, Franklin, Granville, Johnston, Lee, Person, Vance, Wake, and Warren counties. AHECs are located throughout North Carolina and are affiliated with the North Carolina Area Health Education Centers Program at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill School of Medicine. The mission of the statewide AHEC Program is to meet the state’s health and health workforce needs. NC AHEC provides educational programs and services that bridge academic institutions and communities to improve the health of the people of North Carolina with a focus on underserved populations.

News 07/28/16

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News 07/27/16

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Vance County Superior Case Management Court

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Henderson, NC– Vance County Superior Case Management Court was held during the week of July 18, 2016. Judge G. Wayne Abernathy of Alamance County presided over the session. The Office of District Attorney Michael D. Waters was represented by Assistant District Attorneys Stephen T. Gheen, Melissa D. Pelfrey, and William J. Williamson.

Francis Davis pleaded guilty to armed robbery and received an active sentence of 38 to 58 months in the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, Division of Adult Correction (DAC). The robbery occurred at the Marathon convenience store on Dabney Drive on August 31, 2015. This case was prosecuted by Melissa D. Pelfrey and investigated by the Henderson Police Department.

Kelly Hester pleaded guilty to Larceny by Defeating an Anti-Theft Device at Wal-Mart for a March 11, 2016 incident, and received a sentence of 8 to 19 months in the DAC. The sentence was suspended for 24 months and the defendant was placed on supervised probation. This case was prosecuted by Melissa D. Pelfrey and investigated by the Henderson Police Department.

Anna Strain pleaded guilty to Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and was sentenced to 120 days in a misdemeanor confinement facility. The sentence was suspended and the Defendant placed on 30 months of supervised probation. The case was prosecuted by Stephen T. Gheen and investigated by the Vance County Sheriffs Office.

Robert Speed pleaded guilty to breaking and entering a motor vehicle and for attaining habitual felon status, and received an active sentence of 48 to 70 months in the DAC. The conviction arose out of a string of motor vehicle break-ins occurring between December 1, 2015, and February 1, 2016. The cases were prosecuted by Melissa D. Pelfrey and investigated by the Henderson Police Department.

Michelle Spence pleaded guilty to Possession of a Schedule I controlled substance and received a sentence of 6 to 17 months in the DAC. The sentence was suspended for 36 months of supervised probation. The case was prosecuted by Stephen T. Gheen and investigated by the Henderson Police Department.

Darryl White pleaded guilty to Fleeing to Elude Arrest and Larceny of a Motor Vehicle and received a sentence of 24 to 41 months in the DAC. The sentence was suspended for 48 months of supervised probation after the defendant serves a 10 month active sentence. These charges arose out of a high speed chase that took law enforcement through four counties on March 1, 2016, before they could safely stop and apprehend the defendant. The case was prosecuted by Stephen T. Gheen and investigated by the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.

(Full Press Release from District Attorney Mike Waters)

VGCC student recognized as a Microsoft Office ‘Master’

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Andrew S. Dawson of Henderson recently became the first Vance-Granville Community College student to earn the “Microsoft Office Specialist Master” certification.

The certification is awarded to someone who successfully passes a set of certification exams that test proficiency in multiple Microsoft software applications. Dawson completed the Excel 2013, Excel 2013 Expert-level, Access 2013 and Word 2013 certifications, all during the spring 2016 semester. He said he hopes in the future to accomplish the same certifications for the newest (2016) versions of the Office programs.

VGCC offers a number of nationally-recognized Microsoft Office certifications, free of charge, to students, faculty and staff. The “Microsoft IT Academy” program helps ensure that test-takers have the most up-to-date knowledge and skills that are valued by employers. VGCC was one of the top five community colleges in North Carolina for the number of participants in the certification program in 2015.

Dawson is a student in the Computer Technology Integration – IT Support Track program. He is projected to graduate from the college in the spring of 2017 and plans to pursue an information technology career. A full-time student, Dawson is also a part-time tutor in the VGCC Academic Skills Center.

“Andrew is a very dedicated and knowledgeable student, and we’re so proud of his achievements,” said VGCC Information Technology program head Faith Harris. She added that Dawson’s certification will help him succeed in the job market.

“It’s kind of mind-boggling that this will be a great addition to my resume, and I got it for free as a student,” Dawson noted.

For more information on VGCC Information Technology offerings, contact Faith Harris at (252) 738-3235 or harrisf@vgcc.edu.

UNC Chapel Hill Gives Back, Benefits Vance

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UNC Chapel Hill: Giving back to the lower income counties of NC

By: Noah Whittacre – WIZS

Since 2014 Vance County has been a part of the recently-developed Carolina College Advising Corps program. The program at UNC Chapel Hill was created in 2007 to give lower income schools and areas the tools and resources to help students apply for scholarships, schedule testing, apply to the colleges that best suit individual needs and to encourage all to consider their future at college. The program at UNC Chapel Hill is part of a bigger organization called the College Advising Corps, and this program works in tandem with AmeriCorps, another national organization to aid the citizens of America.

Why do we need College Advisers in our High School?

College advisers play a huge role in the process of applying to college, according to the College Board. High-achieving students from low-income families have the same chance of enrolling in college as low-achieving students from high-income families. The Advising Corps was created to bridge the gap between college and these students from low-income families. Advisers work closely with school guidance counselors and other school staff to create programs that meet the needs of the students in the high schools they serve.

The advisers help students research and apply at a large range of two-year and four-year universities and seek to fit the student’s individual needs. The primary goals of the Advising Corps are to increase post-secondary enrollment rates of the schools served, create a college going culture within the schools served, and broaden the range of two and four year schools to which students are exposed. These advisers are essential for students who have no desire to look for what suits them best or those who just don’t know all of their opportunities.

The Impact at Northern Vance

When I started my freshman year, there was no college adviser at Northern Vance. The encouragement to apply for college and to achieve was there but the talk and buzz about college wasn’t. When our college adviser came in 2014, the entire atmosphere surrounding college changed. Students were excited to talk about their plans, to discuss scholarship information, to encourage other students to keep on applying. We started having college fairs where college representatives came and set up booths to give us information. The number of college visit field trips increased and students were shown opportunities that they didn’t know were there. From my own perspective, these advisers have a tremendous impact on the schools of North Carolina. I hope that all schools will have an opportunity to eventually receive a college adviser because the impact is really remarkable.

What impact has this program made in NC schools?

According to the Carolina College Advising Corps website, these are the impacts made in the 2014-2015 school year:

  • Held over 45,000 one-on-one meetings with students in grades 9-12
  • Organized and offered 283 college campus visits for students at partner high schools
  • Held 863 college representative visits to high schools, allowing 5,605 students to have direct interaction with a college representative
  • Held over 1,000 parent meetings
  • Directly assisted over 3,300 students with registering for a college entrance exam (ACT and/or SAT)
  • Supported over 3,600 eligible students in obtaining a fee waiver to take a college entrance exam
  • Helped students submit over 16,000 college applications to four-year and two-year institutions
  • Assisted students in earning over $109,405,000 in scholarships (not including federal Pell Grant awards)
  • Celebrated 4,630 students at Decision Day events across the state
  • Worked with 5 students who were awarded the Morehead Cain Scholarship
  • Supported and assisted with over 4,100 student submissions of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by June 1, 2015
  • Collaborated with colleagues to offer 272 sessions on financial aid and financial literacy to their communities

These statistics are proof that the CCAC has made great strides from when they started to aid students on the pathway to success. When the CCAC started in 2007, they had four advisers serving eight schools. In the 2015-2016 school year, 45 advisers served 64 schools across 25 counties in North Carolina. These numbers will only continue to grow and the program will continue to serve the students of NC schools.

For more information you can visit:
CCAC Website – https://carolinacollegeadvisingcorps.unc.edu/
Advising Corps Website – https://advisingcorps.org/

Vance County Sheriff’s Department Press Release – Large Meth Bust

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Sheriff Peter White announces the following arrest by the Vance County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit:

David Joshua Walker

537 South Cooper Drive

Henderson, NC 27536

Age: 25

Manufacturing Methamphetamine

Possession of Precursor chemicals for the Manufacture of Methamphetamine

Bond: $110,000

Court Date: 08/29/2016

The Vance County Drug Enforcement Unit arrested the above individual after discovering a campsite in the wooded area behind 600 South Cooper Drive in Henderson. The evidence that was recovered showed evidence of Methamphetamine production.