Kannapolis City Schools recognizes Jackson Park Elementary

Kannapolis City School board recognized students, staff and volunteers of Jackson Park Elementary School at their recent board meeting. Those recognized include:

* Kalista Nedoff — Kalista Nedoff is a 9-year-old fourth-grade student at Jackson Park Elementary School. She has been an excellent student and always strives to do her best with a smile on her face. She is well liked by her classmates and is always willing to help others. Kalista has been a Principal’s Pal, a Terrific Kid and an honor roll student. She enjoys art, reading and playing soccer. She also loves animals and has several pets, including a turtle, a fish, cats and a dog. Kalista wants to be a marine biologist when she grows up.

She is the daughter of Marla Dellinger and Jim Nedoff. She has a brother, Hawkin, a second-grader, and a younger sister named Kearstn. Her family attends Jackson Park Methodist Church, where Kalista is involved in the youth groups.

* Janaesea Jordan — Janaesea Jordan is a 9-year-old fourth-grader at Jackson Park. She loves to read, draw and ride bikes. Her favorite subjects are science and math. She has been a Principal’s Pal, a Terrific Kid and an honor roll student. Janaesea is described by her teacher as kind, considerate and a joy to teach.

She is the daughter of Tony and Kenya Jordan, and she has a brother, Joshua, who is a freshman in high school, and a sister, Jacquesea, an eighth-grader. Janaesea loves to go to her church, Macedonia Baptist, where she is involved in the youth group and children’s choir. She also loves to help people, especially children who may be having trouble with their work. She hopes to one day be a doctor.

* Lynann Johnson — Lynann Johnson was recognized for the countless hours she spends at Jackson Park. She and her husband, Zachary, have two sons, Sean, a third -grader, and Austin, a kindergartener. Lynann serves as the vice president of Jackson Park’s PTO and is an active volunteer. She has helped with the Book Fair, Parent Night and the school’s Christmas store. She’s also active in the community.

She is a member of Jackson Park Methodist Church and serves as Cubmaster for Pack 602. At Christmas, she helps her husband put bicycles together for the Salvation Army, and she sends packages of goodies and treats to the troops in Iraq. Johnson also helps with Kannapolis Cares, the Empty Stocking Fund and the NASCAR Foundation.

* Michelle York — Michelle York is in her second year at Jackson Park as a teaching assistant. She works with Jennifer Hunter’s third grade and Deanna Shue’s second grade classes. She is also a substitute bus driver. She is very active in all school functions and always goes the extra mile. Because she loves working with children, and because of her professional goals, York is taking classes through Appalachian State University. She goes to Hickory two nights a week to take classes to get her degree in elementary education through a distance-learning program.

In her spare time, she loves to read and knit.

* Georgann Sapp — Georgann Athanaelos Sapp is a product of Jackson Park Elementary School and has been an elementary art teacher there since 1991. She also teaches at Woodrow Wilson Elementary School. She holds a bachelor of fine arts and master’s of arts education from East Carolina University as well as her certification for academically and intellectually gifted from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Sapp is very involved in both Jackson Park and the community. She has served on the KCS Mentor Committee and as a mentor, is co-chair of Jackson Park’s Communications/Family & Community Support Committee, serves on the KCS News Team and is the organizer of Jackson Park’s Secret Pal program.

She served on the Kannapolis Centennial Celebration Committee and the Jeff Gordon Children’s Hospital fundraising committee for Jackson Park. She also organizes Jackson Park’s annual Big Sweep with Cabarrus Soil and Water Conservation Department and the school’s Art Enrichment Program.

Sapp represents KCS on the NorthEast Medical Center Foundation Gallery, is on the board of the Cabarrus Arts Council, the Kannapolis Beautification Commission and is a member of Kannapolis Junior Woman’s Club, Kannapolis Woman’s Club, Alpha Lambda Chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa Honorary Teaching Sorority, Kannapolis Association of Educators and the National Art Education Association.

She serves as a state officer for the General Federation of Women’s Clubs of North Carolina and is the Juniorette Club adviser to clubs at A.L. Brown, Northwest Cabarrus and J.M. Robinson High Schools. Sapp is a member of Kimball Memorial Lutheran Church and is married to Jeff Sapp.

Lane earns Fellow status

CONCORD — Sandi Lane, MS, FACHE, of Concord, coordinator of the Cabarrus College of Health Sciences bachelor’s degree completion program in Health Services Management, recently advanced to the status of Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE).

ACHE is an international professional society of health-care executives who lead hospitals, health-care systems and other healthcare organizations.

Fellow is the pinnacle of achievement for health-care executives and portrays a testimony to the highest standards of professional development.

As a professional society, ACHE requires its members to continuously demonstrate commitment to the industry through professional growth, leadership, continuing education and community civic participation.

Lane earned a bachelor’s degree in health care management from Southern Illinois University and a master of science degree in health-care administration from University of New Haven. She is enrolled in the health services research Ph.D. program at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, with an expected graduation of 2009.

The Cabarrus College health services management program is a baccalaureate completion degree for health services professionals. For more information about the Health Services Management degree call 704-783-3518.

Rowan-Cabarrus hires Lowrance

SALISBURY — Rowan-Cabarrus Community College (RCCC) has hired Jeff Lowrance as director of public information and marketing.

Lowrance will direct efforts to enhance public awareness of RCCC’s work in strengthening the economic growth and quality of life of Rowan and Cabarrus counties and the college’s key role in the development of the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis.

He will oversee and coordinate RCCC’s marketing initiatives and serve as a contact for media representatives. He and Daphne Lewis, director of grants development, are jointly facilitating RCCC’s advancement department. He and Lewis report to Jerry Chandler, RCCC senior vice president and chief operating officer.

Lowrance comes to RCCC from Food Lion LLC, where he was corporate communications manager, serving as the company’s primary contact for news media and trade publications. Prior to Food Lion, he was the assistant director of public relations at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he oversaw media relations and worked as the chief communicator of the university’s research news.

Born and raised in Catawba County, Lowrance holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He, his wife, Janice, and their two daughters live in Mooresville.

RCCC will provide the education and job-training programs needed to meet the workforce demands of the North Carolina Research Campus, under construction in Kannapolis. For complete details, see the RCCC Web site at www.rowancabarrus.edu.

Phillip Morris USA donates to KEF

Just before the holidays, Philip Morris USA gave a wonderful Christmas present to the Kannapolis Education Foundation and the students of Kannapolis City Schools.

They donated $10,000 for the Dell TechKnow Program. TechKnow is a partnership with the Dell Computer Company and local community sponsors like Philip Morris. TechKnow gives at-risk middle school students technology training and the chance to earn their own computer. Once students complete 40-hours of training and keep up their grades, attendance, and behavior, they get to keep the computer they have trained with, and they get one year of free Internet access donated by CTC or Time Warner Cable.

It’s a wonderful program that provides both career opportunities and incentives to stay in school. Along with Joe Trull, who is the Chairman of the Kannapolis Education Foundation, the Kannapolis Board of Education honored Philip Morris USA for its generous contribution by presenting them with a plaque at Monday’s meeting.

Catawba College dean’s list

Thirteen Kannapolis students have been named to the fall semester dean’s list at Catawba College. All achieved a 3.5 or higher grade-point average.

They are Mayra Arroyo, Melissa Basinger, Dennis Biggerstaff, Carrie Cox, Ryan Dayvault, Richie Egnor, Selene Hendricks, Dana Hood, David Livengood, Michael Martens, Teresa Turner, David Winstead and Cynthia Young.

Spanish class

A Conversational Spanish I class will be held Feb. 7 through May 2 from 2:30 to 5 p.m. The class will be located at the new R3 Career Center, 164 Dale Earnhardt Blvd.

To register for this class, call 704-788-3197 ext. 416 or 288.