Education News

Students visit Hazel Creek

Eighth-grade students from Mountain Discovery Charter School in Bryson City went on a five-day and four-night backpacking up Hazel Creek.

Students learned about the lumber industry in the Appalachia Mountains and the development of the Fontana Dam. In addition to the curriculum, students learned outdoor skills, such as tarp construction, cooking on stoves and using natural resources. Beginning their adventure at the edge of Fontana Lake, they paddled across Lake Fontana starting at the Cable Cove boat ramp. After two hours, they arrived at Hazel Creek, grabbed their backpacks and started up the trail to Bone Valley.

They learned about the early 1830s when settlers Moses and Patience Proctor relocated from their ranch in northern Tennessee to the area of Hazel Creek. Students learned about the techniques they may have used to harvest lumber; splash dams and workers called river hogs. Then they hiked up to the old copper mine to see the openings of several copper chutes they used during the mining operation.

The final subject was World War II and its effects on the Fontana region. Students learned how and why the dam was built and the impact on the families that lived in the backcountry.

Spring registration open at HCC

Haywood Community College spring semester registration for new and continuing students is now open. HCC plans to offer in-person, hybrid and online options for student flexibility.

Through a series of funding sources, HCC can help students attend classes at little or no cost. HCC offers career planning assistance with career coaches to help you start your journey. Resources are in place to make success a priority. HCC’s Learning Support Services also offers a wide range of assistance, from tutoring and grammar evaluation to learning strategies.

Online programs include Associate in Arts, Accounting and Finance, Business Administration, Criminal Justice Technology, Early Childhood Education, Information Technology and Medical Office Administration.

Visit haywood.edu or contact us at hcc-advising@haywood.edu or 828.627.2821.

Supply chain could impact school meals

During the pandemic, Macon County Schools has worked hard to continue to serve healthy meals to fuel students for success. While meal service has largely gone uninterrupted this year, school nutrition programs nationwide are experiencing many of the same supply chain and staffing issues that have impacted restaurants and grocery stores throughout the pandemic. Macon’s school nutrition team is committed to ensuring students continue to have access to healthy meals each school day.

“While our commitment remains strong, we may have to make some last-minute changes to our regular menus and style of service, based upon product availability and staffing levels,” said School Nutrition Director David Lightner. “There may also be times that we do not have as many menu choices as we typically offer our students, but we will continue to make sure all students are nourished and ready to learn. Our school nutrition department appreciates your patience and understanding as we continue to sort through these supply chain and staffing issues.”

WNC schools receive grants

The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina recently awarded grants totaling $2,395 to Swain County Schools and $3,130 to Jackson County Schools from the Learning Links grant program.

The grants provide local teachers with funding for activities designed to make required coursework engaging and relevant for their students. Three Learning Links grants will support projects at Mountain Discovery Charter School, Swain County High School and Swain County Middle School as well as Jackson Community School and Smokey Mountain Elementary School. The grants for Jackson County will fund field trips, drumming circles and historical Cherokee art lessons and materials.

The grants for Swain will purchase materials for a fifth-grade project that integrates art and science and an art project for sixth-grade students as well as fund an instructor to teach a drumming course for students with disabilities.

Learning Links offers grants up to $800 per classroom to public school teachers in Avery, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Jackson, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford and Swain counties to provide experiential learning projects for students. The grants are made possible by the Ben W. and Dixie Glenn Farthing Charitable Fund, Cherokee County Schools Endowment Fund, Leon C. and Grace E. Luther Charitable Fund and Fund for Education of The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina. This year, 61 grants were awarded totaling $87,715.

For more information, contact The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina at 828.254.4960 or visit cfwnc.org.

New student rep joins SCC Board

Heber Najera, who’s in his first year of the Physical Therapist Assistant program, has been named the student representative to Southwestern Community College’s Board of Trustees.

Originally from Los Angeles, Calif., Najera was 4 years old when his family moved to North Carolina. He graduated from Polk County High School and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education from Appalachian State University.

He worked as a teacher’s assistant for a year and decided he was better suited for a career in the field of physical therapy — so he enrolled in Southwestern’s PTA program.

“When I was first asked to be on the board here, I felt like there are probably other students here who would be more qualified for something like this,” Najera said. “But it is an honor to be selected, and I enjoy participating in the meetings and seeing what happens behind the scenes when major decisions are made. Everyone on the board has made me feel very welcome.”

For more information about Southwestern and the programs it offers, visit www.southwesterncc.edu, call 828.339.4000 or drop by your nearest SCC location.

SCC student awarded nursing scholarship

In early September, a new recipient was announced for the Judy Moore Memorial Scholarship Endowment.

Southwestern Community College Nursing student Corrie Kinsland of Otto received the scholarship worth a total of $1,500. Awards are issued for tuition, books, and any other related educational expenses for those enrolled in the Nursing programs.

The scholarship was created in 1997 in memory of Judy Moore, RN. Moore was a nurse who practiced in Public Health in Macon County. The initial award was issued in 1998, and since then 40 candidates and 45 awards have been given, creating a total of $46,400 in financial aid.

After graduating at SCC, Kinsland intends to enroll in the RN to BSN program at Western Carolina University.

SCC to hold traditional graduation ceremony

After enduring a series of unexpected, pandemic-related challenges, the latest group of Southwestern Community College graduates will celebrate their accomplishments with family and friends during the college’s first traditional, indoor commencement ceremonies in two years.

SCC’s fall graduation will be spread out over two events Dec. 10: Career Technologies graduates will walk across the Myers Auditorium stage at 5:30 p.m. followed by a ceremony for the Health Sciences and Arts & Sciences grads at 7 p.m.

The auditorium is in the Balsam Center on SCC’s Jackson Campus in Sylva.

Masks will be required for all attendees, and each event will be small enough to allow everyone to socially distance themselves as much as necessary in order to feel comfortable and safe.

“Our drive-through commencement ceremonies were all tremendous successes, and we received a lot of very positive feedback from participants and their families,” said Dr. Don Tomas, SCC President. “And yet, there is something refreshing about going back to the traditional ceremonies where we can all gather in one large room and celebrate with our graduates in a safe environment. We are all looking forward to it.”

For instructions about the ceremonies, graduates can visit southwesterncc.edu/registrar/commencement-instructions.