The Dollar General Literacy Foundation awarded Project Cover in Salisbury a youth literacy grant in the amount of $4,000 to support their Read to Succeed Program.
Awarded at the beginning of the academic year, youth literacy grants from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation help provide teachers, schools and organizations with the funding and resources they need to properly begin the school year.
“Youth literacy grants from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation make a distinct impact on the communities we serve by supporting programs that improve education and enhance literacy,” said Rick Dreiling, Dollar General’s chairman and CEO. “At Dollar General, we are passionate about our mission of Serving Others and it’s exciting to see the real difference literacy and learning make in people’s lives.”
This September, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation awarded approximately $4 million in youth literacy grants to approximately 825 schools, non-profit organizations, libraries and community groups dedicated to the advancement of literacy.
Four Kannapolis schools have earned the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star Award – Jackson Park Elementary, Shady Brook Elementary, Woodrow Wilson Elementary and Kannapolis Intermediate School. The improved energy efficiency of these four schools has saved taxpayers and Kannapolis City Schools nearly $100,000.
The Energy Star Award recognizes organizations that significantly reduce energy consumption. Energy Star buildings lower their energy usage to a point that, when compared to similar buildings across the country, they are in the top 25 percent of efficiency. They use 35 percent less energy and generate 35 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than an unqualified building.
Last year, the combined electrical energy saved by the four schools, when compared to their baseline year, was more than a million kilowatt hours. That is equivalent to saving the district $99,972.00 in utility costs.
Forest Park Elementary also earned the Energy Star Award in 2012. That means that five of Kannapolis City Schools’ eight schools are now Energy Star certified.
On Saturday, Oct. 4, Southeast Middle School will be hosting the second annual Patriot Blast of Color 5K. This is a walk/run to raise awareness of cancer and begin the kick off for Relay For Life. As participants complete kilometers, they will be doused with colored powder.
Rain or shine, the 5K will begin at Southeast Middle at 9 a.m. and will not be timed. The price is $15 per participant, and the first 200 registrants will receive a Color Blast T-shirt. Forms can be picked up at Southeast Middle or downloaded from http://model.rss.k12.nc.us/groups/mrsaprilwilliamson.
Call Southeast Middle 704-638-5561 or email Claire Watts at wattsc@rss.k12.nc.us or April Williamson at williaaa@rss.k12.nc.us with any questions.
Drag racer Tony Schumacher visited A.L. Brown High School Sept. 11 to bring hands-on educational lessons to the students.
He explained the physics, math, engineering, marketing and automotive design of racing. He also encouraged students to remain focused on education and to try to excel at whatever they do.
The U.S. Army, which sponsors Schumacher’s car, arranged the visit and had Army recruiters available to answer students’ questions. It was an educational and patriotic lesson for students to experience on Patriot Day.
Since Sacred Heart Catholic School moved to its new campus in 2009, they’ve wanted to build a flag pole park to fly the American, North Carolina and Vatican City flags.
Although the official flag pole park dedication isn’t set until Oct. 23, the school decided to go ahead and fly the American Flag last Thursday in honor and memory of those who were affected by Sept. 11.
“It can be very difficult for children to understand the tragedies of 9/11, but we can teach them to pray and to love. We can teach them that they are safe and what the word ‘hero’ means. We can help them understand the difference between good and evil. We can teach them what ‘peace’ means and pray together the Saint Francis Prayer of Peace,” said Robin Fisher, the school’s marketing and communications director.
The Students with Academic Gifts and Goals to be Acknowledged Youth Apprenticeship will host its first annual Youth Movement on Sept. 27 at Salisbury City Park from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The event will include motivational speakers, representatives from the sports and arts communities, a band, disc jockey, vendors, giveaways and free food.
The Students with Academic Gifts and Goals to be Acknowledged is a nonprofit organization designed to prepare youth for a successful future by ensuring that they develop essential skills and competencies in education, employment, decision making and communication skills.
Two delegates from Rowan County attended the North Carolina 4-H State Council Conference in Raleigh on Sept. 6-7. The delegation joined more than 280 youth and adults representing 63 counties.
As part of the conference, delegates participated in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Tailgate as well as Ag Day. While at the conference, delegates had the chance to improve their leadership skills, participate in interactive workshops, and attend an N.C. State University football game. Attending from Rowan County were Anthony Blandino and Holly Wallace.
For more information on the 4-H program in Rowan County, contact Sara Drake, 4-H Extension Agent, at 704-216-8970. The 4-H program is the youth education program of North Carolina Cooperative Extension, based at North Carolina State and North Carolina A&T State universities. More than 227,700 young people ages 5 through 18 participate in North Carolina 4-H activities each year with the help of 20,333 adult and youth volunteers.
The Hippity Hoppity Bunny 4-H Club invites the public to a rabbit exhibition at the Rowan County Fair. Club members will have a rabbit display at the fairgrounds on Sunday from 1 to 2:15 p.m. in the Livestock Show Arena.
There will be several different breeds of rabbits on display and club members will be available to answer questions about their bunnies, as well as rabbit management and care.
Davidson County Community College, in partnership with DavidsonWorks and Atrium Windows and Doors, will host a fall hiring event from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept. 23 in the Mary E. Rittling Conference Center on the Davidson Campus.
Atrium Windows and Doors, Davidson County’s largest private employer, seeks to fill more than 50 positions at its manufacturing facilities in Welcome and Greensboro. Open positions include production supervisors, customer service representatives, maintenance technicians and multiple positions in assembly and shipping and receiving. First-, second- and third-shift opportunities will be available for a variety of positions.
Persons seeking employment with Atrium Windows and Doors should bring a valid driver’s license and be dressed in long pants, sleeved shirts and closed-toe shoes. Resumes will be accepted but are not required to participate. The event is free and open to the public.
It will not be until spring break of 2015 when students in a Catawba College honors class depart for Greece, but the two faculty members who will be leading that excursion are trying to drum up interest in their course and its capstone trip this fall.
The spring 2015 honors course, “My Big Fat Greek Heritage,” offers students enrolled in it an opportunity to travel to Greece with faculty members, Dr. Norris Feeney and Dr. Seth Holtzman.
On Sept. 6, these faculty members and a group of Catawba students piqued their appetite for all things Greek by attending the annual Yiasou Greek Festival, held on the grounds of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Charlotte. This annual event showcases Greek food, dancing, religion, history, clothing and other aspects of Greek and Greek-American culture.
Students ate baklava and spanakopita, watched costumed groups perform traditional Greek dances in traditional costumes, listened to talks about Greek philosophy and history, had small Greek flags painted on their arms, marveled at the sublime iconography inside the church during a guided tour that interspersed micro-lectures on Orthodox Church history and doctrine with liturgical hymns sung by a small choir, and soaked up the friendly crowds and beautiful late-summer day.
The Yiasou Greek Festival served as Catawba’s Honors Program’s designated cultural event for this fall semester. Catawba College’s International Club, sponsored by Hake, was also well represented.
The Rowan Reading Association is open to anyone who is interested in promoting literacy in the area. Parents, educators, professionals, community leaders and other interested individuals are welcomed to join. The annual membership fee is $20. The organization has a Facebook page and will have a website.
Rowan Reading Association’s first fundraiser is on Sept. 27 from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. at Cauble Creek Vineyard in Salisbury. It is a Wine Down and Paint event, and will cost $40 per person. All supplies are included. For more information, or to RSVP, email mmbsal@yahoo.com or angela.galloway.13@gmail.com.
The historic Latta Plantaition will hold a homeschool day Sept. 24 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., featuring programs about life as a Civil War soldier and life on the farm.
Students will march and drill as a Civil War Soldier while learning in-depth of both Confederate and Union armies. They will also partake in 19th century farm chores including gathering drinking water, eggs, and firewood during the Life on The Farm program. Visitors will meet the Latta farm animals, see the Yeoman Farm Cabin, and see the Kitchen Garden all while learning of the importance of cotton on the plantation.
No reservations are required. Admission is $6 per person, children 4 and under are free.
For more information, email education@lattaplantation.org.
North Carolina’s statewide testing results were released late last week and Langtree Charter Academy in Mooresville and Cabarrus Charter Academy in Concord posted impressive results. In addition to proficiency scores of 3, 4 or 5, North Carolina schools are graded on the percentage of students scoring College and Career Ready levels of 4 and 5. Across the board and compared to state, counties and local school averages, the sister schools exceeded proficiency and College and Career REeady expectations. Both are first-year schools.
Both Langtree Charter and Cabarrus Charter currently have very large waiting lists totaling more than 1,700 students. The board which governs both schools, The North Carolina Charter Educational Foundation, will submit additional charter applications with the state requesting two additional schools – Mooresville Charter Academy and Kannapolis Charter Academy – to help satisfy the demand of parents in both of these areas.