Community News

RCC ANNOUNCES PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARS F ive outstanding Randolph County high school Josie Parrish of Franklinville is pursuing a nursing students have been chosen in a competitive process degree. At ERHS, she is involved in Beta Club, Junior as Presidential Scholars at Randolph Community Civitan, National FFA Organization, while playing tennis College for the 2020-2021 school year. Luna Corona and managing the football team. Parrish has worked at and Alberto Olivarez, both from Asheboro High School; Sagebrush and Central Bakery, and is a fourth-generation Josie Parrish from Eastern Randolph High School, firefighter with the Ramseur Fire Department. Rose Catherwood from Uwharrie Charter Academy, Rose Catherwood of Asheboro is pursuing a degree and Jeremiah Hodge from Wheatmore High School in elementary education. She has been involved in will receive two-year RCC scholarships through the Beta Club, student government, the dance team, her Presidential Scholars program funded by the Randolph Community College Foundation.

High school students from public, private, and home schools throughout Randolph County were invited to apply for the scholarships. Students who met the preliminary requirements were invited to attend a Presidential Scholars Day at RCC on March 10, where they learned more about the College and were interviewed by a committee of faculty and staff members. Finalists were chosen and invited back for a second interview with RCC President Dr. Robert Shackleford Jr., who made the final choice of five recipients.

Students’ academic records and extracurricular/ community activities weighed into the selection of recipients, as did the interviews.

RCC Presidential Scholars receive a $2,500 scholarship church youth group, and the American Red Cross Blood Drive; teaches at Pointe South Dance and Tumble, is a school flex day volunteer, and is a teacher’s assistant. Catherwood also works at Chick-fil-A.

Jeremiah Hodge of Thomasville is working on a college transfer degree with the hopes of studying marketing. He has been the president of the Junior Civitans Club, vice president of the Beta Club, and the senior representative on the Student Council while volunteering at his church. Hodge also has worked as an umpire and as a cashier/crew member at Cook Out.

The RCC Foundation is a nonprofit organization that provides a margin of excellence for Randolph Community College by building a strong relationship with the local community, acquiring and managing contributions, and funding activities that support the College. for their first year of study ($1,250 for fall and $1,250 for spring) that is renewable for their second year of study. The students have the opportunity to serve as Ambassadors for the College, and meet regularly with President Shackleford.

Luna Corona of Asheboro plans on going into the health science field. A varsity athlete, she is also president of the AHS Key Club and is a member of the AHS GlamourGals and AHS Chick-fil-A Leader Academy Luna Corona Alberto Olivarez Josie Parrish along with holding a job at Cinemark Theater. She has volunteered at Lindley Park Elementary School, the Randolph County Public Library, the OneBlood Blood Drive, and Christians United Outreach Center.

Alberto Olivarez of Asheboro plans to work on a college transfer degree and study business. He has been a member of the Distributive Education Clubs of America and the AHS Yearbook Staff, along with working at Bojangles and Food Lion. Olivarez is Venture program, financial literacy, and Word and PowerPoint certified. Rose Catherwood Jeremiah Hodge

MABE AWARDED RCC FOUNDATION RETIREE SCHOLARSHIP Z achariah Mabe has been awarded the Randolph Community College Community College Foundation Retiree Scholarship by building a strong for the 2020-2021 school year. The scholarship was relationship with established to honor retired RCC faculty and staff members. the local community,

Mabe, who was chosen among the 2020-2021 acquiring and Presidential Scholar applicants for the $1,000 scholarship, will be seeking an Associate in Science degree at RCC, and then transfer to North Carolina State University to major in Mechanical Engineering. Mabe is a member of the Boy Scouts of America, the Beta Club, the National FFA Organization, and the Southwestern Randolph High School cross country and track teams. He also works for Mabe’s Construction as an apprentice welder.

The RCC Foundation is a nonprofit organization that provides a margin of excellence for Randolph m a n a g i n g contributions, and funding activities that support the College.

Graduation on Thursday, May 14. The in-person ceremony was to take place the same date, but was changed due to COVID-19.

Director of Adult Basic Education and Adult High School Jordan Williamson opened the ceremony with a welcome and congratulations.

“As many of you know, the College and Career Readiness Graduation is one of our most special events at RCC,” she said. “As much as we love to celebrate all of our graduates, this event certainly holds a special place in our hearts because we know how hard you’ve worked to accomplish this and how many barriers and obstacles you have overcome to reach this moment in your life. So please know that even though we are not all together today to celebrate in person, we still celebrate you virtually and we are still celebrating you afar.”

Williamson then extended an invitation for the graduates to walk across the stage as a part of the December CCR graduation ceremony.

Several members of the CCR staff added messages of congratulations, including CCR In-Take Specialist Dahlia Oldham, a 2009 graduate from the program.

“The beautiful thing about this — no one can take this away from you,” she said. “It’s yours forever. So I want you to go out, go see the world, create your own beautiful dreams.”

RCC HOLDS VIRTUAL CCR GRADUATION R andolph Community College held a virtual ceremony I’m so excited for you.” for its 2020 College and Career Readiness (CCR)

For information on contributing to the RCC Foundation, contact Lorie McCroskey, Director of Development, at 336- 633-1118 or email llmccroskey@randolph.edu.

Vice President for Workforce Development & Continuing Education Elbert Lassiter presented the graduates.

“I couldn’t be more proud of you,” he said. “I wish you much success whether you’re coming back to Randolph Community College to continue your education or going to another college or university or entering the workforce. The fact that you’ve completed this degree should give you

RCC President Dr. Robert S. Shackleford closed the ceremony, noting that Abraham Lincoln lost his mother, his fiancée, his business, and several political races before becoming president.

“All of these weren’t periods in his life that ended things, they were commas,” Shackleford said. “And he got back up and brushed himself off and he kept going and going and going. That’s what you’ve done. All the things in your life that have led to this point tonight, you’ve decided to make them commas and not periods. You didn’t let obstacles stop you. They may have tripped you up for a month, they may have slowed you down a little bit, but you got up and brushed yourself off and kept going and here you are tonight.

“I hope that even tonight will be a comma. I hope that you will get back up and keep going after this ceremony, keep going after you get your high school equivalency or your adult high school diploma. Come on to RCC and be a college student now. You are as qualified as if you’d been the valedictorian of your graduating class. We’re very proud of you. We want to be a part of your educational, journey as far as it takes you. Please know that you inspire me. I’m proud of you and I wish you the very best.”

The graduation can be viewed at www.youtube.com/ watch?v=IXwpZWEzlAI.

encouragement that you can do anything you choose to do. Trinity: Sierra Miller; Troy: Brady Marshall. asheboromagazine.com | 21

High School Equivalency Graduates:

Archdale: Gabriell Mcarthur, Lane Van Ausdall; Asheboro: Victor Castaneda, Hilda Munoz-Vences; Fuquay-Varina: Kiara Dolan; Lexington: Richard Phillippie; Pleasant Garden: William Allen Sr.; Randleman: Devon Nix

Adult High School Diploma Graduates