Pittsburgh Theological Seminary professor to speak at Hood series

The Rev. Richard Curtis Chapple Jr., assistant professor of homiletics at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, will speak at the Heritage Lecture Series at Hood Theological Seminary on Thursday.

Chapple is an ordained elder in the AME Zion Church with 27 years of ministerial service to his denomination. He has served as pastor, presiding elder, general conference delegate and delegate to the World Methodist Council and is a member of the AME Zion Church’s Judicial Council.

He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Arkansas, his master of divinity degree from Howard University Divinity School, with study at Oxford University, Mansfield College, and his master of theology degree from Princeton Theological Seminary. He is a doctoral candidate at the University of Pittsburgh in the areas of English and rhetoric.

He is one of the most ecumenically exposed preachers among the faculty of Pittsburgh Seminary, often preaching in Baptist, United Methodist, Pentecostal, Reformed, Churches of God in Christ, Church of God and other church contexts. He has preached abroad on numerous occasions and has an ongoing visiting professorship with Reformed Theological Seminary in Nigeria.

He is a trained psychotherapist and pastoral counselor under the auspices of AAPC. His most recent publications are a chapter titled “Africentrism and African-American Preaching” in The African-American Churches Response to Africentrism (University 2004) and essays titled “The Bible as a Primary Tool for Evangelistic Preaching” in the Journal of Religious Thought and “The African-American Church as a Rhetorical Community” in the AME Zion Quarterly.

For more information, call 704-636-6545.

Elon academic lists

Four area students qualified for the fall semester president’s list at Elon University in Elon for having no grade below an A-.

They are Monica Poteat of Kannapolis, Hilary Sheets of Lexington, Danielle Dufour of Mooresville and Kristin Smith of New London.

Fifteen qualified for the dean’s list by earning at least a 3.4 grade-point average with no grade below a B-.

They are Elizabeth Doran, Megan Sabo, Andrew Davis, Kristina Brown, Annie Elliott, Erick Brown and Patrick Adams, all of Salisbury; Gwendolyn Turner, Mocksville; Emery Nelson, Robert Team and Cynthia Kline, all of Lexington; Leslie Norris, Albemarle; and Alexandra Hensley, Michelle Newman and Lesley Cowie, all of Mooresville.

Enochville wise owls

Enochville Elementary School recently recognized the following students as Wise Owls for January for consistently exhibiting good citizenship, good manners and exceptional behavior:

Kindergarten: Timothy Broadway, Makaylia Adcock, Morgan Box, Lee Price, Lacey Isbell, Richard Freeman, Bridget Cagle and Cloe Greene.

First grade: Daisy Hernandez, Kory Sellers, Alecia Hall, David Miller, Kristen Compton and T.J. Simmons.

Second grade: Nikki Powell, Bryan Fink, Elijah Newby, Katelyn Stanley, Pokita Fernandez and Bradley Gibson.

Third grade: Savannah Mesimer, Samantha Deadmon, Elena Fernandez, Brianna Funderburk, Bradley Mathews and Aubree Pugh.

Fourth grade: Logan Durham, Dakotah Lambert, Lauren Livengood, Emily Weast, Lillie Zentmeyer, Brittany Griffin and Kayli Webb.

Fifth grade: Bryson Deaton, Hannah Bost, Madison Parish, Chase Labbe, Carrie Luckey and Timothy Fleeman.

Kindergarten open house Friday

North Rowan Elementary School PTA will hold a Get to Know Us open house for prospective kindergarten students and their parents from 12:30-2:30 p.m. Friday at the school.

Participants can register at a table outside the school office. PTA volunteers will provide tours and answer questions.

New zoo study offered

The Natural Science Center of Greensboro has partnered with Davidson County Community College to offer a Zoo and Aquarium Science Technology Program beginning in August.

It will be the first in North Carolina and one of only six such academic programs in the U.S. that prepares students to become zookeepers.

Students working toward this new, intensive two-year degree program will train with zookeepers at the Natural Science Center’s new zoological park, Animal Discovery, for their first year, learning the rules, policies and protocol of becoming an effective animal care provider. Animal Discovery will feature tigers, gibbons, wallabies, meerkats, Aldabra tortoises and other exotic animals.

Additional partners in this program include the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, The Duke University Primate Center in Durham and the Lazy Five Ranch in Mooresville.

Prospective students can attend information sessions at DCCC to learn more about the program. Sessions will be held 6-8 p.m. Feb. 28 and 3-5 p.m. March 1 in Mendenhall Building, Room 226, on the Davidson campus.

The Natural Science Center is at 4301 Lawndale Drive in Greensboro. For more information about its role in the new program, contact Glenn Dobrogosz at 336-288-3769, ext. 314.

Liberty University list

Four local students have been named to the fall semester dean’s list at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., for earning a 3.5 or higher grade-point average.

They are Brittany Dille, Julie Siegmund and Karis Myers, all of Salisbury, and Kristopher Shepherd of Cooleemee.

North Elementary bee

Keira Carroll won North Rowan Elementary School’s annual spelling bee.

First runner-up was Veronica Sanchez; second runner-up was Summer Wyatt.

Other participants included Tiffany Hodgson, Jamie Null, Nakeiyah Parris, Kelsey Walker, Sydney Cobb, Courtney Coffey, Joshua Cozart, Javon Adkins, Mikala Cowan, Jordan Hennis, Phillip Thompson, Kiya Hancock, Robert Ivery, Milton Morris, Kayla Thompson and Nathan Godfrey.

Rick Hampton gave the welcome address and presented a medal to all participants. Joy Childers was the moderator. Judges were Melissa Hamrick and Jonathan Smith. Kim East organized the event.

North Elementary list

North Rowan Elementary School recently recognized Good Citizens for January.

They are Keith Carroll, Jakira Wright, Zachariah Isbanioly, Gabby Imbert, Makayla Woodson, Victoria Hash, Dakota Stevens, Marshé Mines, Iasia Hargrave, Nayelly Alvarez, Lucas Beam, Mariella Bautista, Takeo Gill, Kristen Kindle, Jessica Randall, Jawon Davidson, J’Marius Cline, Joshua Mason, Madison Eudy, Alex Albarran, Myra Bautista, Joseph Scott, Torsha Herr, Tyrone Johnson, Ikeriah Shields, Jaharya Jamison, Joel Norman, Darius Keller, Abril Dominguez, Dakota Myers, Casey Eller, Gabe Scheve, Elvia Lopez, Jayland Sanders, Simone Blackwell, Kayla Thompson, Brian Kesler, Omar Quillian, Demeturis Jefferies, Teressa Martinez, Ernesto Jaramillo, Logan Loflin, Damon Jefferson, Harley Laurens, Angely Castro, Carolina Hawkins, Naquez Reid, Harley Bowman, Miranda Dok, Indya Wiggins, Halie Talbert, Davina Dok, Kevin Best, Matthew Moore, Narielle Reid, Trey Stoner, Senetta Douglas, Simon Connolly, Katina White, Rashawn Nance, Anay Cruz, Trey Childers, Logan Stoner, Brayden Troxler and Jamie Turcios.

DCCC Ambassadors

Davidson County Community College recently selected students to serve as college ambassadors for 2007.

Nominated by faculty and staff, DCCC Ambassadors embody the characteristics valued most highly by the college community. They display leadership potential, academic competence, strong interpersonal skills and are involved on campus and in the community.

Area students selected include Julia Hand of Salisbury and Darlene Beeson, Lori Burris, Erica Dellinger, Christie Hairston, Beth Hankins, Meghan James, Carrie Nelson, Amy Scoggin, Megan Short, Brenda Walker and Mattie York, all of Lexington.

Area students serving as DCCC Ambassadors are MaryAnn Martinez of Salisbury and Paulette Huskey and Ryan Short, both of Lexington.

Bostian winners

Bostian Elementary School has recognized winners in several school competions.

In the schoolwide spelling bee, Jordy Clark won first place, with Daizee Paxton placing second. Clark will compete in the Rowan County Spelling Bee at Rowan Cabarrus Community College Feb. 15.

In the PTA Reflections contest. “My Favorite Place,” Ivey Pethel and Savannah Deal won the literary division, Daizee Paxton and Hanna Brotherton won in the visual arts division and Dakota Speagle won in the photography division.

In the Young Authors Contest, “Adventures and Discoveries,” entries submitted by Jonathon Shuping, David Comer, Ezra Sheffield, Savannah Deal and Malorie Ritchie were selected by the Greater Rowan Reading Association for publication.

David Comer and Ezra Sheffield had poems selected for publication by Creative Communications.