Profile 2016

PROFILE 2

0

1

6

A PUBLICATION OF THE WASHINGTON DAILY NEWS MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 1

2 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

When it Comes to Your Eyes, Trust the Best Team in Eye Care.

We’re excited to announce that Tim Klugh, OD is now welcoming new and returning patients to our Washington location. Dr. Klugh has served our community for over 20 years and is a perfect addition to the expertise that WASHINGTON can only be found at Precision Eye Care.

EYE CARE

EYE CARE WASHINGTON

Jitendra Swarup, MD | Michael L. Steiner, MD Nicole Lynch, OD | Katie Hickman, OD | Tim Klugh, OD MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 3 1730 Carolina Ave., Washington EYE | 252.946.2171 CARE | PrecisionEyeNC.com

4 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 5

6 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

PROFILE 12

20

14

22

16

24

18

26

8

WHO'S WHO

56

PERSONS OF THE YEAR

12

PROFILES

58

STUDENT PROFILES

48

HONOR ROLL

65

BELHAVEN BUSINESS

PROFILE 2016 A PUBLICATION OF THE WASHINGTON DAILY NEWS

Publisher Ashley Vansant

28

36

30

38

32

40

34

42

Editorial Michael Prunka Caroline Hudson Jonathan Rowe Vail Stewart Rumley Contributors Will Preslar

Marketing & Sales German Llodrat Cecilia Prokos Spencer Stanley Distribution Sylvester Rogers Art Direction Jason Scott Amy Whitaker

SOCIAL , ECONOMIC

and ENVIRONMENTAL

SUSTAINABILITY Helping feed our neighbors

At PotashCorp-Aurora, we build strong relationships with and improve the socio-economic well-being in the region. One of the many local non-profit organizations we support is Eagle’s Wings Food Pantry.

Here, LifeQuest Volunteers stock the shelves with donated canned goods.

MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 7

Who’s Who in Beaufort County

Meet the 2016 Executives & Professionals

Georgia Anne Atkins The Rich Company #1 in Real Estate for over 40 years Awards: Million Dollar Producer: Presidents Award Paul Harris Fellow/Rotary Active in First United Methodist Church Alma Mater: Salem College Personal Motto: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you Contact: 252-944-7798 or ganne@therichcompany.com

Chip Davis Washington Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram Family owned and operated.

Our family has been in the automobile business for 30 years serving all of Eastern NC. Alma Mater: UNCW Come check out our new facility and line up of 2016 vehicles.

Contact: 252-644-3344

8 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

Cindy Baldwin

Bobby Clark

Providing 24/7 services for water, fire and mold re mediation services and restoration Member: Bath Historic Commission, Chamber Member, Citizens for Better Government, Washington Noon Rotary Alma Mater: BS Virginia Commonwealth University Personal Motto: The greatest work you will ever do will be within the walls of your own home Contact: 252-923-0213 or cbaldwin@servprobath.com

Coldwell Banker Coastal Rivers Realty Specialist: Residential, Waterfront, Golf Course & Commercial Properties.

Member: WBC Board of Realtors as 2016 board President Awards: 2015 “Realtor of the Year” Multi-Million Dollar Producer Personal Motto: Excellent Service Converts to Customer Satisfaction.

Contact: 252-916-9371 or bobby.clark@coastalrivers.com

Diane M. Edwards

Mauri Evans

Servpro of Bath

Broker, Coldwell Banker Coastal Rivers Realty

CRS-SRES-ABR

Mauri F Evans Insurance Agency Inc.

A company whose focus is Knowledge, Experience, and Professionalism Awards: WBCBR 2013 REALTOR® of the Year, Multi-Million Dollar Producer, SRES, GREEN, CSSS Alma Mater: Duquesne University Personal Motto: Sail through your Real Estate Transactions with a Caring Professional Contact: 252-945-0981 or

State Farm’s mission is to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected and realize their dreams.

Alma Mater: Northern Kentucky University- Norse

www.NorthCarolinaCoastalWaterfront.com

maurievans.com

Personal Motto: Do onto others as your would want them to do onto you Contact: 252-946-5114

Cynthia D. Crane Aurora Fossil Museum Foundation, Inc.

Local science education museum increasing knowledge of geology, paleontology and prehistory of coastal NC. Member: Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Association for Women Geoscientists, and Honorary Member, North Carolina Fossil Club.

Alma Mater: East Carolina University Coastal Carolina Community College Personal Motto: Strive to be an inspiration.

Contact: 252-322-4238 www.aurorafossilmuseum.com

Mark Everett State House Development, LLC

Commercial real estate brokerage, advisory, consulting and development Awards: Past Triangle Commercial Association of Realtors Million Dollar Sales Club and Million Dollar Land Sales Club; Washington Housing Authority Board Alma Mater: North Carolina State University Personal Motto: Local knowledge and global perspective to represent the best interest of the client Contact: 919-274-8572 www.statehousedev.com

Who’s Who in Beaufort County

Meet the 2016 Executives & Professionals

Stacey Gerard

Vice President, Continuing Education BCCC Continuing Education provides non-credit occupational training, re-training and upgrading in vocational and professional areas; works to raise the educational level of adults; offers instruction in home and family education, leisure activities and cultural advancement; and provides a range of services for new and existing small businesses.

Contact: 252-940-6241 or stacey.gerard@beaufortccc.edu

Beaufort County Community College

Sally Love Beaufort County United Way

We’re helping create the kind of community we all want with the kind of opportunities we all need.

Awards: Business Person of the Year (Sunflower Books)–Washington Noon Rotary Alma Mater: Allegheny College, Meadville, Pennsylvania Personal Motto: Be a part of the change you want to see in the world.

Contact: Beaufort County United Way – 252-975-6209 slove@unitedwaybc.net

Jamie Harris Broker/Realtor Coldwell Banker Coastal Rivers Realty

Serving Eastern North Carolina with all your Real Estate needs.

Personal Motto: Real Estate experience you deserve.

I look forward to working with both buyers and sellers, with complete dedication to their interests.

Contact: 252-217-9192 or jamie.harris@coastalrivers.com

Jay Martin Good Shepherd Pastor and Rich Company Realtor Awards: 10 years Million Dollar Sales Broker - Past president of Board of Realtors - Father to three Eagle Scouts (one more on the way) - husband to amazing wife Jeanne, ECU Nursing Professor Alma Mater: UNC Chapel Hill Personal Motto: Let your life speak Contact: 252-945-4231

Andrea Heekin Broker/GRI, ABR Coldwell Banker Coastal Rivers Realty Waterfront Property Specialist Alma Mater: Culinary Degree, Johnson & Wales University, Rhode Island.

Personal Motto: Life is too short to miss your waterfront dream!

Contact: 252-943-1010 or andrea.heekin@coastalrivers.com

Kelly McCarvill The Rich Company Broker-Bath Branch

Awards: 2014 Rookie of the Year, 2015-Highest increase in sales, 2015 Million Dollar Club Affiliations: NAR, NCAR, WBCBR Personal Motto: My goal is to make your real estate dreams become reality, whether buying or selling I represent all clients with honesty and integrity, RealEstately Yours Kelly McCarvill Contact: 252-702-9589 or kelly@therichcompany.com

Jackson Lancaster Broker, Coldwell Banker Coastal Rivers Realty

Multi-Million Dollar Producer Achievements: Past Student Ambassador for BCCC Foundation and Ex Officio Member, Board of Trustees, BCCC Alma Mater: Presently attending East Carolina University College of Business (B.S. Finance, 2017) Personal Motto: Dedicated to the Success of YOUR Real Estate Transaction Contact: 252-402-9067 jackson.lancaster@coastalrivers.com

Gerri B. McKinley Broker/Owner, GRI, ABR, CRS Coldwell Banker Coastal Rivers Realty Historic Real Estate Specialist Member: Washington Area Historic Foundation; Washington/BCty Chamber of Commerce Awards: Coldwell Banker President’s Elite Winner Personal Motto: SOLD! Contact: 252-945-1582 or Gerri.McKinley@coastalrivers.com MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 9

M

Who’s Who in Beaufort County

Meet the 2016 Executives & Professionals

Marcy S. Morgan Pungo Christian Academy Head of School Since 1999

PCA is a private Christian school serving Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade students in Beaufort, Hyde, Washington, and Tyrrell counties.

Awards: Member - Tri-County Telephone Board of Directors and Tarheel Inedpendence Conference President Alma Mater: Campbell University (BA) and East Carolina University (MS) Personal Motto: I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength - Phil 4:13 Contact: 252-943-2678 m.morgan@pungochristianacademy.com

Stuart W. O’Neal

Chris Respess

Ryan Whitford

Financial Advisor Edward Jones Member SIPC

Specializing in Commercial, Farm & Timberland

AssureVest Insurance Group/Allstate A family business since 1968.

Specializing in Auto, Home & Life Insurance, with Financial Products.

Awards: Spirit of Partnership Award; Eagle Award; Ted Jones Prospecting Award Alma Mater: NC State Personal Motto: Today is someone’s memory for tomorrow. Make it a good one.

Contact: 252-940-4701 or stuart.oneal@edwardjones.com

The Rich Company

Awards: 5 million dollar club 4 years straight, 2 time Top Gun & 1 time High Cotton for Rich Company Alma Mater: Coldwell Banker Commercial University Personal Motto: I will work very hard to earn your trust.

Contact: 252-943-8768

Awards: Premier Service Agency, Honor Ring, National Conference, and Chairman’s Conference.

Alma Mater: East Carolina University Personal Motto: Being Great is a Decision...Decide!

Contact: 252-946-3904 or RyanWhitford@allstate.com

Congratulations

Jay Wickham

Farm Bureau - Beaufort County

Our team of insurance professionals is dedicated to protecting what matters most to you and your family. Our goal is to provide you with the appropriate insurance products, tailored to fit your needs.

Awards: Southern Farm Bureau Life Million Dollar Ring recipient, Agency Club qualifier, Round Table winner.

Alma Mater: Appalachian State University Personal Motto: Success is not a path you take- it’s a trail you blaze Contact: 252-946-0169 or jay.wickham@ncfbins.com

10 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

Debra Williams

Maria D. Wilson

Specialty: Professional assistance to Buyers and Sellers in Residential and Lot Sales Achievements: Member Board of Directors for WBC Board of Realtors (2016); Multi-Million Dollar Producer, Coldwell Banker International Sterling Society Personal Motto: Honesty, Professionalism & Dedication are qualities I strive for as a Realtor.

Contact: 252-217-6949 or Debra.Williams@coastalrivers.com

Offices in Washington & Greenville Achievements: Multi-Million Dollar producer, Coldwell Banker International Diamond Society, NAR Silver Service Club, past Realtor of the Year.

Full-time Realtor for over 30 years.

Personal Motto: I’ve been matching people with properties for over 30 years and will use my knowledge and experience to make your real estate transaction as easy as possible.

Contact: 252-945-3367 or Maria.Wilson@coastalrivers.com

SRES Coldwell Banker Coastal Rivers Realty

Broker/Owner, Coldwell Banker Coastal Rivers Realty

to the 2016 Who’s Who Professionals.

Thank you for your great service and making our quality of life better!

Privileged to help.

Mauri F Evans Ins Agcy Inc Mauri Evans, Agent 521 W 15th Street Washington, NC 27889 Bus: 252-946-5114

1211030

We’re honored to serve this community for 14 years.

My staff and I look forward to many more with you.

Thank you for your continued support and business.

Get to a better State®.

Get State Farm.

CALL ME TODAY.

State Farm, Home Office, Bloomington, IL

MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 11

12 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

Aaron Berry Directing the show with safety in mind

B

By Michael Prunka | Photo by Ashley Vansant

eing the director of the Washington-Warren Airport means that Aaron Berry has a lot of tasks to check off of his to-do list every day before it’s even lunchtime. First up, he comes in every morning and drives the runway, inspecting all the surfaces to make sure there is no debris or other hazards.

He then shifts his focus to fuel, saying, “It’s like the Internet. Without electricity, you don’t have Internet. Without fuel, you don’t have flight.”

He checks quality and tests pump pressures.

From there on, it’s a lot of mechanical work.

Berry has to keep up a database for fuel sales, be constantly checking his email and keep track of flights coming in and out. With flights that are coming in, he often has to have a rental car available.

For the most part, the job is quite mechanical in nature, which is what led Berry to it. He worked in information technology for Beaufort County Community College and did his own computer work for other companies, too.

“There’s a lot of maintenance, a lot of computer and database things that have to be done,” Berry said. “There are a lot of inspections to keep up with the regulations. … Everything around here is mechanical: your computers, your fuel pumps, card readers, everything.”

Berry’s interest in aviation and technology helped everything fall into place

to where he was able to assume the role as director of the airport. It was a logical next step for him, as he likes to continuously challenge himself.

“I consider myself an ambitious person,” he said.

“I know the answer to this, let’s find the answer to that. That’s the way I approach things.”

Keeping up with so many different duties isn’t overwhelming. Berry says the job’s stress level is relatively even and that he knew what it entailed coming in. Even as things grew at the airI consider myself an ambitious port, he hasn’t felt as if he were in over his head. In fact, he welcomes person. I know the answer to the growth.

“You don’t want stagnation this, let’s find the answer to that. and you don’t want things to go That’s the way I approach things. backwards,” he said. “That’s what we try to avoid. This is a business.

Anything for growth or profit is good. Anything that promotes stagnation or going backwards, you steer away from.”

Even though the usual day isn’t too stressful, Berry said there are some times he has to scramble to get things done. For example, when tornado threats were recently issued across the area, he had to contact all the airplane owners and got their vehicles in hangars.

Safety, in general, is one of the biggest focuses throughout the day.

“It’s always paramount,” Berry said.

“That’s why the Federal Aviation Administration gives us checks to make sure we’re following rules and regulations.”

There’s a lot going on at Washington-Warren Airport. Renovations are still fresh, business seems to be doing well, even in this down time of the year, and Berry is excited to be a part of it.

MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 13

It’s hard work all day, but when you’ve been doing it as long as I have, it’s just another thing to me.

14 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

Charlie Clark Offering lifelong support for Southside athletics

By Michael Prunka Photo by Ashley Vansant

C

harlie Clark has been the heartbeat of local high school athletics ever since he was a student himself. Clark, a graduate of the old Chocowinity High School, began working for his alma mater as a custodian immediately after getting his diploma.

He assisted with the school’s athletic programs as a student and continued doing so as an employee of the school.

“I wash all the team uniforms. I basically go to all the games. In football, I’ve missed three games in — well, I started in seventh grade and I’ve been working at the school for 21 years,” Clark said. “I do the footballs on the sideline during football season and in basketball I do the water.”

Clark’s dedication to what he does for the various Seahawk teams is unparalleled. When he was sick during this past football season, the coaches told him he could come back and watch the game, but he wouldn’t be allowed to work during it.

“I just couldn’t do that,” he said. “I just couldn’t see myself letting someone else, so I just stayed away. It’s hard seeing someone do something you’ve always been doing.”

Assisting with the teams entails a lot of work during winter and spring sports. There are often three basketball games a week in the winter months. During the spring, he can have just as many baseball and softball games to go to in a seven- day span. That includes traveling with the team and driving the bus for any road games.

“That’s a job itself,” Clark said. “You might not think about it. …

When you work all day long and drive at night, not too many people can do that.

It’s just hard and I know it’s hard on the coach.”

The years Clark has spent helping out with the school’s athletics have paid off with some great experiences. He’s watched quite a few in-

credible teams and athletes come through Southside.

“Those couple years that we went to the (football) state championship — that really stands out to me,” Clark said. “I’ve never been on a college sideline before like that. Of course, when our girls’ basketball team went to states a couple of years ago. We went to Chapel Hill. I had never been in the Dean Dome before. It’s different when you’re not a spectator.”

For Clark, that’s not the most rewarding thing about it all. Southside is a family and he loves being there for everyone.

“I think that if they have a situation, some of them can come talk to me about certain things. Basically, I feel like I’m part of them,” Clark said. “I feel like, when they need someone, I’m going to be there to help them any way I can. … You treat everyone like your family.”

Working with athletics has been a big part of Clark’s life for a long time. At the end of the day, it’s a labor of love.

“It’s hard work all day, but when you’ve been doing it as long as I have, it’s just another thing to me,” he said.

MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 15

I love barbering. It’s a wonderful field. Of all the fields out there, of all the business careers, it’s the career people retire from, who’ve worked the longest .

16 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

Jonathan Gonzalez A career of making customers feel at home

A

By Jonathan Rowe | Photo by Ashley Vansant

nyone can cut hair, but a barber knows when and where to stop. It’s true for Jonathan Gonzalez.

He’s a barber, and like the American barbershop tradition, he does it all: hot-towel shaves, cuts, edge-ups — you name it.

Gonzalez got his start cutting hair for friends and family as a teenager. He moved to North Carolina as a young adult and attended Altitude Academy of Barbering in Greenville, which Gonzalez says was very focused toward the business aspect of the trade.

“In my case, considering I already had experience, it helped me to set my mind on the goals I had and the time frame I wanted to do it. As a barber, you’re your own business or corporation,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez learned how to create a business plan and how to treat customers, as well as the 80-20 rule: 20 percent of your customers account for 80 percent of revenue because of repeat business, purchasing products and add-ons like shaves.

“You still take good care of those who just drop by,” Gonzalez added. “You put forth extra energy to those who regularly come in.

They’re looking to come into the shop and have a relaxing experience. I try to make every customer feel that way. The teacher taught us to make every customer feel like the

prime VIP in your chair.”

The customer’s experience and a barber’s business acumen are vital in building a reputation, Gonzalez said. A multi-billion-dollar industry, barbering opens up possibilities: starting a chain of shops or discovering a specific product to market. But Gonzalez’s focus is on his customers, he said.

“Seeing that smile when the person gets out of my chair, those things always make it rewarding,” he said.

Six years after school, Gonzalez apprenticed at Ruff Kutz in downtown Washington, eventually opening his own shop on West 15th Street, the Razor’s Edge Barber Shop and Salon.

There, Gonzalez said he takes a lot of pride in attention to detail. For him, it’s not about money; it’s about customer service and his reputation among his customers. When a customer walks down the street after getting a cut, Gonzalez wants people to know that he did the haircut.

Gonzalez welcomes many different ethnicities and haircut preferences to his shop, and his outlook on barbering — detail, customer service, versatility and more — is something in which he takes pride and takes seriously.

“I love barbering,” Gonzalez said. “It’s a wonderful field. Of all the fields out there, of all the business careers, it’s the career people retire from, who’ve worked the longest. It’s a field you don’t get tired of. It’s not the same thing every day. Each person makes it different. The customers make you want to do this and get energized.

"Barbering also has such a long history, back to the Egyptian times. It’s a cool thing to say I was a part of it. Barbering is an art form. You’re taking a piece of metal and shaping someone’s hair to make it look neat and clean and unique. Each person has their own style and you can help them find that style. It’s a good feeling. It’s really cool.”

MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 17

18 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

Kimberly Grimes Passion for service, community rolled into one job

By Vail Stewart Rumley | Photo by Ashley Vansant

N

ational Night Out; Community Watch; ‘Meet and Greets’ held by police in local neighborhoods; the annual sports Pros’ Weekend. At any given occasion, Kimberly Grimes is there.

She’s the organizer, the orchestrator, the person with all the answers.

Taking the reins of those events — many where smiles on children’s faces are just as evident as the uniforms in attendance — is part of her job as the crime prevention and community outreach manager with Washington Police and Fire Services. It’s the public part of her job, but what she does on a daily basis behind the scenes is far more important.

A few months after she took the position, Police and Fire Services Director Stacy Drakeford sat down with Grimes to share his vision of returning Washington to a policing style from days past, including service to the community. It was a vision Grimes shared, she said. At the same time Drakeford asked officers to get out of their cars to patrol on foot, meeting the members of the community they serve, Grimes was pulling together resources to enhance “Project Second Chance,” and launch “Project I Live Alone.” The two programs go beyond the fun events for which Grimes is known — they put the idea of community back into community policing.

“That’s the part of the job that people get to see, but a lot of people don’t know about 'Project Second Chance,'” Grimes said.

There’s no reason they would — it’s an intervention, involving police, family, the District Attorney’s office, lawyers, counselors and teachers, along with the most important piece: someone teetering on the edge between a lawabiding life and a life of crime.

Participants recommended to the program have one, maybe two, strikes against them.

Hanging over their heads is the possibility of jail, or at least probation. It’s strictly voluntary; no one is forced to participate. But when they do sign on, Grimes has an eagle eye on her charges.

“My job is to make sure they are doing what they are supposed to be doing,” Grimes said.

That’s not all, though. Grimes is responsible for catering the program to the individual who may need anger management counseling, rehab or simply help with homework.

“Every single person that has been in here didn’t need the same thing,” Grimes said. “You have to be able to determine what this child needs. I give them the tools they need to succeed and ask them to work it.”

Grimes is just as much invested in “Project I Live Alone,” in which she, telecommunicators and officers check in with elderly people, many of whom have no family in the area. It’s been a huge hit, Grimes said, and has forged strong bonds between law enforcement and those who’ve signed on to the program.

Grimes has a passion for her job, and that’s due to her passion for service.

“I love what I’m doing,” Grimes said. “I never thought (it would be of) this magnitude in giving back to the community. I wouldn’t change that for the world.”

You have to be able to determine what this child needs. I give them the tools they need to succeed and ask them to work it.

MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 19

20 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

Stanley Elliot Artist on the golf course

T

By Jonathan Rowe | Photo by Ashley Vansant

he success of a golf course can heavily depend upon the That golf course is my resume. precision It reflects me, Cypress Landing with which it is maintained.

This is true for Cypress and Chocowinity. If people Landing, maintained by golf course superintendent come from out of town and Stanley Elliot. see it, we want them to come Elliot, who studied ornamental horticulture back. It’s important to have and landscape design at it in the best shape we can. the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, says onthe-job training is where learning takes place more than anywhere else.

He wears many hats — managing staff, budgeting and maintaining equipment and the overall facility. His certification as a golf course superintendent, with 20 years of experience, more than six of those in his current position, and his product — the golf course — are what makes Cypress Landing a great place to play a round of golf.

“His job is critical to the overall success of the golf facility,” said Jeremy Shadle, golf pro at Cypress Landing.

“When people play and the course has been well-maintained, it’s a direct reflection of the superintendent. (Elliot) does great work. He has a big job maintaining the course. It’s a real challenge.”

And a challenge it is, as Elliot’s job is made or broken by Mother Nature and the conditions of the environment, he said. In the spring through fall seasons, Elliot and his staff of eight

stay busy, mostly mowing, but also raking sand traps and other basics involved in maintaining the course. The most important thing, however, are the greens, Elliot said.

“That’s what everybody goes and plays at a golf course for,” Elliot said. “If you have good greens, people want to come play it. That’s true for all golf courses. You come here to see the greens. That’s based on how well my reputation is, as well.”

In the winter months, however, it slows down — a little. While the course essentially goes dormant in the offseason, Elliot and his staff shift focus to projects, rather than routine maintenance.

Whether it’s covering grass in freezing temperatures or rebuilding drain systems in sand traps, cleaning up limbs, cutting down trees after bad weather or spraying pesticides, it’s a lot of work, Elliot said.

“Basically, I’m the one that has to keep the golf course in good shape,” he said. “We’re the most important thing to that golf course.

We have an excellent membership that cares about the golf course and wants it in good shape. We have a great golf course. That golf course is my resume. It reflects me, Cypress Landing and Chocowinity. If people come from out of town and see it, we want them to come back. It’s important to have it in the best shape we can.”

Despite all that the weather may throw at them and other obstacles Elliot and his team may face, one thing Shadle said makes Cypress Landing so great is Elliot’s ability to work his magic in any situation.

“That’s a quality Stanley has — his ability to adapt,” Shadle said. “It takes a real art to provide maintenance necessary to a golf course without interrupting golfers. He’s trying to get work done while I’m sending golfers out to play.

It’s a balancing act. Stanley does a great job, and I’m proud to say he’s our superintendent.”

MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 21

22 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

Kam Rouse Teaching more than softball

I

By Michael Prunka | Photo by Ashley Vansant

t’s all about the kids: making practices and games fun, all the while helping them learn about softball and life along the way. That’s what Babe Ruth softball coach Kam Rouse enjoys most about working with youth athletics in Chocowinity.

A practice generally starts off with some stretching and running laps around the diamond to get the blood flowing. Then Rouse will bat balls to the infield and have the girls field them, sharpening their defensive instincts. Pitchers will start warming up and the team will either get to see some live pitching or they’ll bat in the cages.

His methods are tried and true. The Chocowinity 16U All-Stars represented Beaufort County this past summer when they traveled to Florida to compete in the Babe Ruth Softball World Series.

Winning is part of the culture Rouse has instilled in his softball teams, but it’s far from the most important lesson he strives to teach the girls who play for him.

“On game days, the favorite thing is winning,” Rouse said. “But, in the end, it’s all about sportsmanship and teaching girls to have a good time. I let them know that somebody has to win and somebody has to lose, but to go out there and give it your all — 110 percent.

In the end, if you give it 110 percent, usually you’ll win.”

That’s a lesson Rouse learned when he was growing up.

“Something that taught me was growing up with my mom and dad,” he said. “Work-

ing with my dad, doing carpentry especially, he always told me, ‘If you do it right the first time and do it right the first time, you only have to do it once.’ If you don’t give it your all or do it right the first time, it takes more energy to redo it.”

The girls appreciate his coaching Working with my dad, doing carpentry and the life lessons. He said as the especially, he always told me, ‘If you do girls age out of his 16U division, many of them ask him to come it right the first time and do it right the coach in the older divisions. first time, you only have to do it once.’

“They say they liked me as their coach,” Rouse said. “Some of them told me, ‘You’re the best coach I’ve ever had in sports.’ Some of them have done cheerleading and some of them have basketball, also, and they told (me) I was a great coach and wish I could coach them as they moved on.”

It all started back in 2007 when the recreation department was looking for a new coach for a younger division. Rouse helped out in the 8U division that year, but felt he would be better suited coaching an older, more diligent group of girls.

Fast forward almost a decade and he’s been involved with Chocowinity softball ever since.

“I told my wife a couple of years ago that I’m going to keep doing this,” he said. “As long as I know I’m touching at least one kid and one kid appreciates my work, I’m going to keep doing it as long as I can.”

MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 23

I love putting my kids on stage and seeing t hem look confident and feel proud of what they’ve done.

24 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

Neva Cashion A retirement immersed in music

By Caroline Hudson | Photo by Ashley Vansant

W

alk into Inner Banks Music Ac a d e my, and one is captivated by the neat, yet we l c o m i n g environment, where jet black keyboards contrast with the white walls.

Rows of chairs are set up on the door side of the studio, and a music stand and microphone beckons the next voice student to arrive. A small bowl of candy adds a pop of color to the room, an addition that’s a hit with the students.

This studio is where the magic happens. It’s where students come to learn under the watchful eye of teacher Neva Cashion.

A music teacher who spent 30 years at P.S. Jones Middle School before retiring, Cashion said she was looking for something to fill her time during retirement, and it wasn’t long before she realized music was the best way to do it.

She credits an interview for a secretarial job with pushing her to open her studio. In answering the question from the interviewer asking why she wanted the job, Cashion said she gave a decent answer at the time, as any interviewee would, but realized in the car afterward that it really wasn’t what she wanted.

As had been the case for most of her life, she wanted the magic; she wanted music.

With the help of her business-savvy husband and advice from friend Janet Cox, former owner of Le Moulin Rouge de Danse, Cashion opened Inner Banks in 2013 and never looked back.

Fast forward to 2016 and her retirement plan now consists of teaching piano and voice lessons and hosting music camps, as well as directing three show choirs.

“It’s just fun, so it really doesn’t seem so much like a job,” Cashion said. “It really was a huge step of faith, and I wasn’t really sure if I’d have anyone sign up.”

She’s enjoyed playing the role of teaching again, not to mention the luxury of one-on-one time with students, something that is not common in public schools.

“They’re just so fun. It’s just their spontaneity, you know, and just their joy,” Cashion said. “I love putting my kids on stage and seeing them look confident and feel proud of what they’ve done.”

To her, that’s the magic of it all. From growing up in New Bern, to attending Meredith College in Raleigh and East Carolina University, to now living in Washington, Cashion said it’s always been music for her, and she wants her students to feel the same.

“I like to say I teach the young and the young at heart,” she said. “There’s lots of other music out there. I want them to stay interested.”

According to Cashion, as long as she can still get up off of the floor during show choir rehearsals, she’ll continue teaching music. It’s her passion, her life’s work and now her dream retirement.

“Just when I was a little girl, when you played with your friends, I wanted to play school,” Cashion said. “I’m still feeling very retired. I can still sleep in in the mornings and drink my coffee.”

MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 25

26 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

J

Mary Brewer

By Vail Stewart Rumley Photo by Ashley Vansant

ust to see that baby and see it take its first breath. … It’s a feeling you can’t describe. And you think God has got to be part of it, and He is part of it, is the way I express it.”

Mary Brewer isn’t a doctor. She isn’t an RN. But if a soon-to-be mother is giving birth at Vidant Beaufort Hospital, Brewer is likely in the room helping. She’s the behind-the-scenes surgical technician who’s setting up, passing instruments, breaking down and cleaning up after a new life has come into the world. If that baby’s born by C-section, emergency or scheduled, she plays the same role in the operating room.

With approximately 350 babies born every year at Vidant Beaufort’s Women’s Services birthing center, Brewer has seen the start of many a life in her 13 years there, so many she can’t guess the number.

“I have no idea. I wish I’d have kept up. It’s been many,” Brewer said.

She didn’t start out in the medical field. When Brewer graduated from high school, her parents strongly suggested she take to the air. But after four weeks as a stewardess, which included a trip to frigid, snowy Minneapolis during January, she was ready to return home to the comparatively balmy climate of eastern North Carolina.

“I thought, ‘Uh-uh, this is not what I want to do,’” Brewer said.

Answering an ad in the paper

got her hired as a nurse’s aide in the small hospital in Williamston. She married and moved to Ahoskie to work in the hospital there — part nurse’s aide, part secretary. Her husband transferred to Washington, and 41 years ago, she hired on with Beaufort County Hospital where, again, she did clerical work. But when she was loaned out to the operating room one week, the general surgeon decided she didn’t need to be doing paperwork. She needed to be doing “scrub” work.

“I remember the first case I ever did was a gall bladder.

They just threw me right in,” Brewer said.

She’s been a part of an operating room since. When Vidant Beaufort’s birthing facility opened in 2002, Brewer was recruited to become a part of the operating team now doing C-sections — and she was wooed endlessly.

“I worked in the OR and, truly, I was going to retire. I was 65,” she said.

Retirement wasn’t on the horizon. Instead, assisting with births and C-sections was, witnessing some of the most exciting, emotional and even traumatic moments of life. She’s seen quite a few interesting and heated moments during the stress of labor, but she takes it all in stride.

“I just shake my head and think, ‘Dear Lord, I didn’t hear that,’”

An unsung hero of labor and delivery

Just to see that baby and see it take its first breath. … It’s a feeling you can’t describe. And you think God has got to be part of it, and He is part of it, is the way I express it.

she laughed.

Brewer is busier than she’s ever been in her life, she said. But a long time ago, she set a goal for herself: work until she’s 80 years old. Raised in a family of hard workers, the target is not only possible — she’s less than two years away. Her life is, and will continue to be, all about staying active: walking, dancing and working her 12-hour shifts.

“They keep me going,” Brewer said. “They keep me young.”

MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 27

Being a college professor, it gives you an opportunity to teach young people, which is very inspiring, honestly, not only for their enthusiasm, but also because young people are so engaged in media from an early age.

28 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

Erick Green Professor passes philosophy, experience to next generation of storytellers

By Jonathan Rowe Photo by Ashley Vansant

E

rick Green knows film. He’s worked on some feature projects.

He’s also taught film classes at several educational institutions. Now, as the head of East Carolina University’s film and video production department, he passes on his knowledge and philosophy in grooming the next generation of storytellers — his favorite part of the job.

Green found a passion for photography and film during an archaeological dig in Israel, following his studies in architectural design at North Carolina State University. But his career in archaeological architecture would eventually lead him to another career.

After coming to the realization that he loved story telling through media, as well as teaching, Green enrolled in film school at the University of Southern California and received a master’s degree in film production. With a focus in cinematography, he discovered he loved working with cameras, lights and the director.

He worked in different positions of film production in Los Angeles over the decade after graduating: a freelance camera assistant, an electrician and other positions within film crews, he said.

“I worked on a crew for a while,” Green said. “You start getting paid and learn from people who have more experience than you do.”

Green also got the opportunity to be the lead cinematographer on a few low-budget features, then began teaching at several universities in California before eventually moving back to North Carolina to be closer to his elderly parents, he said.

At ECU, Green brings his experience in film production to the young minds he helps mold.

“Being a college professor, it gives you an opportunity to teach young people, which is very

inspiring, honestly, not only for their enthusiasm, but also because young people are so engaged in media from an early age.

In some ways, they’re teaching us how media is used in contemporary society, especially among youth. It’s an opportunity for me to teach and learn,” Green said.

As a pervasive aspect of American culture, a full view of media, including television, commercials and other mediums such as the Internet, is precisely the philosophy in Green’s department. A good part of the teaching focus, with North Carolina not being a huge market for feature filmmaking, has been multifaceted, gearing the curriculum to suit those students who wish to move to bigger markets and make feature films as well as those wishing to stay in North Carolina and work in television news, shows, commercials, documentaries, corporate films or other projects, Green said.

“We teach both (outlooks) in our department so students have more experience and more choices when they finish their education,” Green said.

“That’s our philosophy.”

Though instruction is vital in nourishing aspiring filmmakers, it’s not the extent of Green’s involvement in film and video production, he said. One project he’s worked on locally in recent years, included in a series of documentaries he directed, produced and served as cinematographer, was “Mrs. Buck in Her Prime,” a piece on an impressive 104-year-old church organist in Washington.

“Besides teaching, you are also obliged to be an artist and keep practicing your craft and your art,” Green said. “To just lecture about (film production) is one part of education, but to keep practicing and getting our students involved with it off-campus in professional settings, it’s also part of being a professor.”

MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 29

It’s not a slack place. We have rough days. They get you if you’re not used to it.

30 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

Carol Satterthwaite A homegrown queen of the kitchen

I

By Caroline Hudson | Photo by Ashley Vansant

t’s 6 in the morning, and the sun has yet to rise. Streets are quiet, as most people are catching a few more minutes of sleep.

But Carol Satterthwaite is already up and has been for a while. She and her coworkers are busy preparing food in the kitchen at King Chicken in Washington.

For 27 years, she’s been an integral part of the family restaurant, starting as a cook on the back line and moving her way up to cooking the daily specials.

Not only that, she also makes the employee schedule and takes care of any parties that come to eat, including Washington (noon) Rotary, Kiwanis Club and the Bar Association.

Satterthwaite, a lifelong Washington resident, said since King Chicken’s opening in the 1950s, she is one of a handful of employees who have worked at the restaurant for 20 or 30 years. It was from some of these people, her predecessors, that she learned the trade.

“It’s not a slack place,” she said, little spots of flour dotting her clothes. “We have rough days.

They get you if you’re not used to it.”

Satterthwaite works six days a week, usually for seven or eight hours a day, and on Fridays and Saturdays the work seems to never end. Between making food from scratch, taking care of the larger parties in the back room and keeping things moving smoothly, there’s hardly enough time to take a breath.

“I appreciate my sleep,” she said. “I guess when you do it so long, you have a way you can do it that kind of makes sense.”

It may sound taxing to some, but after almost 30 years, Satterthwaite can still say she enjoys coming to work every day. The mother of three

and grandmother of a 2-year-old doesn’t mind hard work and takes it all in stride.

King Chicken owner Granville Lilley has only the highest praise for Satterthwaite, who he considers more of a sidekick than an employee.

Dubbed by Lilley as the “expert collard cooker,” Satterthwaite can make anything from barbecued chicken and fried chicken, to potatoes and beans, to collards and corn — all before the morning is over.

The food at the restaurant is made in house, so the knack for cooking is a necessary trait. Satterthwaite has been cooking for decades, and her honed talent is apparent when the food comes sizzling out of the pan.

Lilley said it’s hard to find new, younger employees with the same talent, which is why he feels lucky to have Satterthwaite.

“You’ve got to have people working together if you’re a winner,” he said. “I may call the plays, but she carries the plays out.”

Satterthwaite said she plans to stay at King Chicken as long as she can, doing what she does best. It’s what keeps her rising before the sun almost every day.

“I don’t mind helping,” she said. “I love my job. … All of it’s good.”

MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 31

32 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

Vincent Holliday Taking pride in faithful service

V

By Jonathan Rowe | Photo by Ashley Vansant

incent Holliday takes pride in his job. He is charged with the maintenance and upkeep of one of the oldest churches in the area. In doing so, he has not only followed in the footsteps of his father, but also earned the respect and praise of the congregation.

As sexton of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in downtown Washington for the past eight years, Holliday’s attention to detail comes from years of experience. After all, he learned from the best — his father. His father showed him how to do all the cleaning involved in the church’s upkeep, as well as the grounds-keeping duties.

“It was a good experience,” Holliday said with regard to shadowing his father prior to taking the reins. “(My dad) taught me everything that I’m doing now. By seeing him do it and when he retired, it was like an honor for me to take over. Every now and then, he still comes by and checks on me and makes sure I’m on top of things.”

Holliday has always been in this line of work, having done maintenance work in hospitals, school systems and other places with cleaning contractors, he said.

He does the same type of work at St. Peters.

His duties include mopping, vacuuming, cleaning the windows, cleaning the chapel and All Saints Hall, a space used for functions much like a fellowship hall, blowing leaves from the church’s grounds and changing light bulbs, to name a few of his tasks.

“Every now and then, they might have me put something together,” Holliday said. “It might be putting screws in a table, putting together a vacuum cleaner, things like that.”

Though Holliday takes pride in what he does, he said his favorite thing about his job is how friendly the churchgoers are to him, in response to his work.

“They compliment me on my work,” Holliday said. “They make me feel really good. One reason I feel like it’s important is it gives off a good impression to what they’re doing as far as the day school and the members come in, they feel a good clean environment, and I feel like that’s important. When they have visitors like with weekly church and weddings and funerals, I want a person to feel happy when they see I’ve made it look nice.”

He even had his wedding at the church, he said. He and his wife were looking for wedding venues, with no luck, only to receive an invitation to exchange vows in one of the oldest churches in the area. Holliday believes that honor was a result of his work ethic and his involvement at the church.

“They said we could have (the wedding) there, and they told us not to worry about anything,” Holliday said. “We had to set up, and we were told to just enjoy it. It meant a lot to my wife and me. With my work, I take a lot of pride in it. I try to do the best I possibly can. It gives off a good impression and speaks to the reputation of the person you are by how you complete your work. You do it well, you get looked at differently as far as respect with how you’re presenting your job.”

With my work, I take a lot of pride in it. I try to do the best I possibly can. It gives off a good impression and speaks to the reputation of the person you are by how you complete your work.

MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 33

You’ve got to really want to do it. You’ve got to have a thick skin. “You have to know and believe that what you’re doing is right by the children.

34 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

Lisa Gibbs-Lee Give me shelter

I

t started with a desire to own a pair of Guess jeans. At 15 years old, Lisa GibbsLee’s parents informed her that if she wanted them, she’d have to work for them. Little did she know then that the decision to spend the summer working in tobacco with her sister would land her on her future career path, all because of a chance encounter.

After a day’s work, she and her sister stopped at King Chicken to grab a bite to eat. When they pulled up to the Washington restaurant, they saw a man rooting through the garbage can outside, looking for something to eat.

By Vail Stewart Rumley | Photo by Ashley Vansant

“You know, I was 15, and you know what homelessness is, people going hungry, but you just haven’t seen it,” Gibbs-Lee said. “At that age, I thought, ‘How in the world do you end up eating out of a trash can?’”

The sisters ordered hamburgers for themselves and for the homeless man outside. His gratitude on that day sparked a lifelong dedication to helping the most vulnerable of the vulnerable: children in need of foster care.

Gibbs-Lee is a child welfare supervisor with the Beaufort County Department of Social Services. Her job is to find shelter for children removed from unstable or even dangerous home environments and work with parents/guardians to help them make the changes necessary to provide the stability all children need. It’s not an easy job, nor is it for everyone. It’s 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It sometimes requires calling on resources outside of DSS — family members and friends who donate supplies or show up with a truck to help a family move. It’s getting out of bed in the middle of the night to find emergency shelter and meetings with family members, doctors, school staff and counselors, along with fellow DSS employees, who brainstorm and feed off each other to find solutions with only one thing in mind — the welfare of that child.

Sometimes, the job means extremely difficult decisions.

“People think about social workers — they either think you’re an angel or the devil. It depends on what side you’re on,” Gibbs-Lee said. “You see some things that are just evil, but a lot of the people are just doing the best they can with what they have.”

With two children of her own, when asked she always includes her foster cases in that number.

“For some of them, we are the parent,” she said.

It’s emotional. It’s stressful. But the reward is in the success cases: the children who return to visit; those who’ve moved on to better environments; and the parents who make the reversal that allows their children to return home.

“You’ve got to really want to do it. You’ve got to have a thick skin,” Gibbs-Lee said. “You have to know and believe that what you’re doing is right by the children.

“I love it. You don’t like the fact that there’s a need, but the work? I do love it.”

MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 35

Jackie May

Placing children’s needs above all else

By Caroline Hudson | Photo by Ashley Vansant

F

or teaching assistant Jackie May, it’s all about the children.

Tr a ve l ing to Eastern Elementary School for work each day, it’s the faces of her kindergarten students that motivate her — the spark in a student’s eyes upon correctly pronouncing a new word, the pure joy and squeals that abound on the playground, the sweet squeeze from a student who just wants a quick hug.

May didn’t used to always see those faces, when she worked in interior design, and as a traveling representative for a Raleigh furniture dealership.

But being a mother of two, her passion for children was

A lot of times I think people think TAs, oh, all they do is cut out stuff. TAs are not just a babysitter in the room anymore. … You’re an extension of that teacher. sparked a long time ago.

Opting to quit her job to spend more time with her kids, May became more involved at her children’s schools and became a familiar face at John Cotten Tay-

loe Elementary School.

After a friend suggested that she apply for an assistant position, she worked as a temporary employee for one semester before moving to a full-time position, and she never looked back.

Working for six years at John Cotten Tayloe and at Eastern Elementary School for five, May said she’s enjoyed being with the children every step of the way.

Although she loves her job, it’s certainly no walk in the playground.

“A lot of times I think people think TAs, oh, all they do is cut out stuff,” May said. “TAs are not just a babysitter in the room anymore. … You’re an extension of that teacher.”

“A lot of times the TAs are having to jump in and take that lesson plan,” she said.

The years of funding cuts have not made her job any easier, and during her tenure, she’s seen the number of assistants drop substantially.

May said that has recently been shaved down to one teaching assistant per kindergarten classroom, and three teaching assistants for every four first-grade classes.

“I get so frustrated when they do all these cutbacks,” she said. “This is our future.”

Although May is lucky to still focus on only one class-

room, the decreasing numbers makes it harder to have that strong connection with the students. Putting aside her other duties as a fill-in bus driver or front desk assistant, to May, it’s those students who are the most important part of the job.

“Those children become my kids. … When you have four classes, you don’t get that opportunity to get to know them that well,” May said. “These kids, especially where we are, need a lot more than just the ABCs and learning how to count.”

“A lot of times they come in with nothing,” she said. “When they get it, it’s like, that’s my favorite.”

Those connections pay off, too.

“You go into Wal-Mart and they say, ‘Hey, Mrs. May!” she said, smiling. “When they see you at the grocery store, it’s like they’ve seen Miss America.”

It’s all about the children, and seeing the small ways in which she can make a difference is the greatest reward.

“I feel like teaching should be just like being a doctor or a lawyer,” May said.

“Seriously, one of the most incredible jobs, and it is, it’s incredibly rewarding.”

MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 37

A lot of people don’t think abou t dispatch of fering help — they think help is when someone arrives .

38 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

Victoria Van Nortwick Drawing on law enforcement past to paint a word picture

M

By Vail Stewart Rumley | Photo by Ashley Vansant

any would recognize her voice. Less would recognize her face. Victoria Van Nortwick’s is one of the voices of the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office 911 Center, dispatching firefighters to blazes, EMTs to accidents, law enforcement to crime scenes, and now, with the advent of Emergency Medical Dispatch, talking 911 callers through medical emergencies.

Van Nortwick’s route to telecommunicator didn’t follow the normal path, however. After graduating from East Carolina University with a degree in criminal justice, followed by Basic Law Enforcement Training at Pitt Community College, Van Nortwick went straight into law enforcement, a police officer with the Town of Belhaven. After two years, she started thinking about becoming a deputy with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, but at the time, the only positions available were in telecommunications. She figured she’d start there.

She didn’t figure she’d stay there.

“I never saw myself doing this, but I love it,” Van Nortwick said.

That’s because she uses everything she learned in school, in training and on the job as a police officer on every call she answers at the 911 center.

“I know what it’s like to be on the other side of the radio and to have someone paint a picture for you of where you’re going and what you’re going to,” Van Nortwick said. “I made it my mission to get all the information I would want to know.”

She’s been in their shoes. Her husband, Nathan Van Nortwick, is a firefighter and EMT, so she’s intimately acquainted with the information all first responders are seeking when they’re headed to a scene, be it accident or crime. The interviewing skills she used as an officer are now put to use in prompting 911 callers to give information they’re not initially willing to give. Behind the scenes, she’s not simply giving out a name and address to those on the other side, she’s researching, accessing

the databases at her fingertips to ferret out any useful information to help first responders know exactly what they may be walking into.

“One of our basic jobs is to make sure our deputies go home,” she said.

For Van Nortwick, telecommunications is just as much about arming first responders with knowledge as it is about talking someone through a medical emergency. But both are equally rewarding, she said.

“A lot of people don’t think about dispatch offering help — they think help is when someone arrives,” Van Nortwick said. “It’s such an honor and responsibility to be the first person somebody talks to who’s going through one of the worse days of their life.”

Van Nortwick may have come to the job with one intention, but she has no intention of leaving, not when it allows her to serve the community in such a critical way.

“I have such a respect for the guys and the women that go on these calls because I’ve been there,” Van Nortwick said. “This is where I belong. I definitely feel like I found my calling.”

MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 39

40 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

Robert Kinsey The virtue of hard work

H

By Michael Prunka | Photo by Ashley Vansant

ard work has always driven City of Washington refuse collector Robert Kinsey.

That’s been the case since he was a teenager. Now he’s a role model for his four children, the youngest of which is 19 years old. One of his main goals as a father is that his children learn the value of hard work, which he’s spent so long learning himself.

It started back in his adolescent years. As is the case with many eastern North Carolina natives, Kinsey’s first job was working in tobacco.

He started when he was 14 years old. Once he turned 17 and was old enough, he got a job at a Burger King.

“I came here from Greenville about five years ago and started working for the City of Washington about two years ago,” he said. “I’m just a person that loves to work. … It’s learning to become a man and learning what work is about.

I’m raising my kids to show them that nothing is going to come to them easy. They have to work for it.”

On an ideal day, it’s not too hot or too cold when Kinsey hops on the truck. There’s no rain, snow or sleet. All he really wishes is to get through the day and do a job well done with little trouble.

That’s not always the case, though. Some days are more challenging than others. Sometimes there’s water in the trashcans or the cans are broken altogether.

Things can get dangerous, too. In September 2015, a driver lost control of his car on East Second Street, hit a Mustang and flipped several times before hitting a garbage truck.

“You’ve got to keep your eyes on the road,”

Kinsey said. “You’ve got to keep your eyes moving. You can’t be not seeing around you.”

Kinsey said he’d like people to treat garbage trucks almost like stopped school buses.

Refuse collectors aren’t always as appreciated as they should be. It’s a tough job that not many people necessarily want to do. Kinsey doesn’t feel the need to be recognized for his hard work. When the sun goes down on the day, he takes more than enough In some ways, it’s to a point solace in the fact that he accomplished another that people don’t appreciate day of hard work. what you do. But, within “In some ways, it’s to a point that people yourself, you know you’re don’t appreciate what doing a good job for the people. you do. But, within yourself, you know you’re doing a good job for the people,” he said.

That’s not to say he never feels valued. It happens a good bit around the holiday season; Kinsey cherishes those moments when people do go out of their way to show their gratitude.

“The rewarding things, you’ll have some people come out and show appreciation for what you do,” he said. “They want you to know you’re appreciated. Around Christmas time, some people give us gifts and some things like that.”

When it’s all said and done, the most important thing is the virtue of hard work. It’s what drives Kinsey day in and day out, and it’s what he wants to pass on to his children.

MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 41

Just to make sure everyone has safe water to drink. There’s a lot of testing that has to be done. … There is a lot of little behindthe-scenes (responsibilities) I don’t think people realize.

42 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

Hope Woolard Creating balance to ensure water quality

By Caroline Hudson | Photo by Ashley Vansant

T

wist the knob on a faucet, and more likely than not, water comes streaming out into the sink. Whether brushing teeth, washing hands or filling a glass, that stream of water has come to be expected.

The knob is turned on and off without as much as a second thought.

Pinetown resident Hope Woolard is one of the big reasons for this taken-for-granted phenomenon. Even though customers don’t usually think of her job until the water isn’t right, Woolard is at the plant day in and day out. Working behind the scenes, she’s kept the water plant running as smoothly as possible for the past three years.

Within the walls of the Washington Regional Water Treatment Plant, Woolard watches the levels of chemicals, orders supplies, fields phone calls from concerned customers and conducts numerous tests to ensure water quality.

If the water has a bad taste, she can fix it.

When the water is neither too hard nor soft, she’s one of the people behind the balance.

If fluoride is added, she oversees the correct amount. As the endless array of red and green buttons on the control panel shows, it’s a job for the experts.

While Woolard specializes in the stability of the public’s water supply, her day-to-day life takes more of a cue from the unexpected.

“It changes from day to day,” she said. “I could get a phone call and the whole day could change.”

She may think the day will entail taking phone calls behind her desk or performing a water test for the state, but if she happens to receive a call about a strange taste in someone’s tap water, Woolard is on it, determining the problem and working until it’s corrected.

She doesn’t mind it, though. Woolard is always ready to learn, and she knows the ins and outs of the field. Woolard grew up in Chocowinity, and after studying biology and chemistry at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, she worked as a chemical analyst at a water plant-certified lab for 17 years before being promoted to a supervisor position.

She’s lived in the area almost all of her life, and she’s worked in the field for two decades.

Woolard describes her supervisor role as “interesting,” and that includes trying to coordinate her unexpected schedule and working with different personalities within the plant.

Woolard does a little bit of everything, including covering shifts if needed, to keep the ship running as expected for the customers — and her employees have her back.

“I work with a great group of people,” she said. “Everybody’s willing to do what they need to do to get the job done.”

Woolard said she wants to make a career out of her work at the water plant, and meeting the expectations of customers who turn on the faucet is her calling.

“Just to make sure everyone has safe water to drink,” she said. “There’s a lot of testing that has to be done. … There is a lot of little behindthe-scenes (responsibilities) I don’t think people realize.”

MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 43

BUSINESS HONOR ROLL 1889 -

127 Years

1908 -

108 Years

The Areaʼs Largest Staff Of Local Registered Pharmacists & Certified Pharmacy Technicians.

601 E. 12th St. Washington, NC Near The Hospital

252-946-4113

Neighbors serviNg Neighbors... siNce 1889

1923 -

252-946-2611

93 Years

1935 -

81 Years

Serving our communities since 1935

Real People, Real Power

1949 -

67 Years

Beaufort County Community College www.beaufortccc.com 5337 US Hwy 264 E. Washington, NC 27889

252-946-2374 44 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

252-943-3046 800-637-1079

252-946-6194

1947 -

69 Years

1950 -

66 Years

Visit us on

252-946-2334

1949 -

67 Years

252-946-6114

1961 -

55 Years

Golf, tennis, dock and dining.

Pool in season.

55 Years

Working with our partner agencies and other local organizations to bring long-term measurable solutions to families that will improve their lives.

Membership Required: Starting as low as $100 per month.

Please call for details. www.wyccnc.com 7155 River Rd. Washington, NC 27889

252-946-1514

1961 -

252-946-5188

252-975-6209 MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 45

BUSINESS HONOR ROLL 1964 -

51 Years

For more than 50 years, PotashCorp-Aurora has operated under the core values of safety, environmental stewardship and community support.

1966 -

50 Years

1971-

45 Years

Edward ray Edwards InsurancE agEncy, Inc.

Serving Beaufort County’s Insurance Needs for 50 Years!

LaRue Alligood, Owner 1263 Highland Dr. Washington, NC 27889

252-946-1081

252-946-7761

1968 -

48 Years

1972 -

44 Years

1974 -

42 Years

Country Boys Auction & Realty, Inc.

Country Boys Auction & Realty, Inc. has been serving North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia for over 40 years.

We are just around the corner, selling all around the world.

Ryan Whitford AssureVest Insurance Group

A family business Since 1968

www.countryboysauction.com

1211 W. 5th Street Washington, NC 27889

700 W. 15th St. Washington, NC 27889

252-946-3904 46 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

1-800-849-2456

252-946-6007

1973 -

43 Years

1976 -

40 Years

1977 -

39 Years

Acre Station Meat Farm

“Fresh Cuts, Friendly Service” www.acrestation.com Hwy 32 N, Pinetown

252-946-2137

1978 -

252-322-4238

38 Years

1980-

36 Years

252-927-3489

1982 -

34 Years

35

YEARS EXPERIENCE

ALL TYPES OF ROOFING

Shingles Metal Roofs Copper Gazebos Specialty Shingles Shake Roofs New Construction Replacement Roofs FULLY INSURED

Norm Sadler

252-974-2611

252-946-6346

252-946-9570 MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 47

BUSINESS HONOR ROLL 1984 -

32 Years

1985 -

31 Years

Member SIPC

252-975-0003

1990-

26 Years

1997 -

19 Years

1998 -

18 Years

www.coveringsbydesign.com

Full Service Ad Agency Specializing In All Media Wholesale Printing

400 Plymouth Street Washington, NC 27889

1301 W. 5th Street Washington, NC 27889

Pam Anderson, Owner

252-975-1331

252-946-9301

252-944-6136

A & B MechAnicAl Service inc.

Automotive Parts & Repair

Automotive Repair Diagnostic Headquarters Quality Parts AandBmechanical@hotmail.com

48 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

Quality Flooring, Personalized Design, and Professional Service

1999 -

17 Years

• Stethoscopes • BR Cuffs • Pulse Oximeter • Personalized Badge Reels • Dansko Shoes • Medical Uniforms (XXS-5X)

Where customer service comes first. uniformsprnnc@gmail.com 615 Washington Square Mall Washington, NC 27889

252-946-9234

1998 -

18 Years

1999-

17 Years

Great healthcare has come home® 1638 Carolina Avenue Washington, NC 27889

252-948-0000

252-946-7145

2000 -

16 Years

252-946-3970 MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 49

BUSINESS HONOR ROLL 2000 -

16 Years

2000 -

16 Years Washington Montessori Public Charter School

Inspiring academic excellence while nurturing curiosity, creativity, and imagination within an environment of warmth, kindness, and respect.

www.wmpcs.org

252-946-2121

2001 -

15 Years

252-946-4420 50 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

2001 -

15 Years

Mauri Evans Insurance Agency Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there™

www.maurievans.com

2330 Old Bath Hwy. Washington, NC 27889

521W. 15th St. Washington, NC 27889

252-946-1977

252-946-5114

2003 -

13 Years

252-946-2186

2004 -

12 Years

2005 -

11 Years

2006-

10 Years Rainbow Landscaping & Advantage Property Maintenance

Lawn Care & More Fritz Tanner Jr 252-943-8490 Greg Cooper 252-944-7348

252-975-7560

252-974-2112

2005 -

11Years

2006 -

10 Years

We’re your neighbors, We’re your friends, We’re your REALTORS. 239 W Main St, Washington, NC coastalrivers.com 252-975-8010

2011 -

5 Years

Over 30 years combined experience serving Eastern, NC 1910 Carolina Ave. Washington, NC 27889

252-946-5101

252-833-4968

MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 51

BUSINESS HONOR ROLL 2011 -

5 Years

2013 -

3 Years

2013 -

3 Years

Nursing and Rehabilitation Center

“Making a difference one resident at a time.”

Accelerated Evening and Online Programs In 10 Locations

Long- and short-term nursing care In- and out-patient therapy

www.ncwc.edu/adult

www.rivertracecare.com

5337 US Highway 264 E Washington, NC 27889

250 Lovers Lane Washington, NC 27889

252-975-3709

252-975-1636

2013 -

3 Years

252-975-6309 52 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

2014 -

252-940-6386

2 Years

2014 -

2 Years

2014-

2 Years

2015 -

1 Year

2015 -

1 Year

The Southern Nest

Best Mexican Food in Town!

“Treasures From Our Past”

Vintage, Antiques, Home Décor, Collectibles, & Gifts 133 W. Main Street Washington, NC Open: Wed–Sat 11 to 6 Sunday 1 to 5

Convenient and Affordable Convenient and Affordable Degree Programs Degree Programs for Adult Students for Adult Students 4525 Hwy 264 West 4525 Hwy 264 West Washington, NC27889 27889 Washington, NC

411 W. 5th Street Washington, NC 27889

(252) 940-0146 admissions.washington@umo.edu admissions.washington@umo.edu

252-940-1486

www.umo.edu www.umo.edu

252-940-0146

2015 -

1 Year

252-943-1016

2015 -

252-940-1614

1 Year

Located at the Historic Turnage Theatre & Gallery 150 West Main Street, Washington, NC

Phone 252.946.2504 www.artsofthepamlico.org

MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 53

BUSINESS HONOR ROLL 2015 -

1 Year

252-943-7016

2016-

- Year

Family Owned & Operated www.washingtonchrysler.com 4001 US 264 W. Washington, NC 27889

252-644-3344

54 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

Congratulations to these businesses from Beaufort and surrounding counties

Proud of Our History in Beaufort Co. Providing Radiology Services for 40+ yrs & Mammography Services for 30+ yrs

Here for You Today Providing the Latest Technology & Same Day Appointments

Looking Towards the Future Our practice stays abreast of research, trends & technology to provide patients with the best care now and always.

630 E 11th St. Washington | 252.946.2137 | M-F 8-5 | easternrad.com

3 BC = Proven Formula for Success.

Research* shows that Beaufort County Community College ranks FIRST among community colleges in Northeastern North Carolina and SECOND among all the state’s 58 community colleges for the future wage earnings of students!

Our students can expect, on average, to see their salaries increase by 40 percent EAUFORT OUNTY upon leaving the college, compared to when they began their studies.

OMMUNITY OLLEGE And it’s also proven that BCCC can significantly reduce the cost of your education, 5337 Highway 264 East, Washington, NC 27889 whether to earn a four-year degree or for shorter-term career training!

252-946-6194 • wwwbeaufortccc.edu Call us to get the facts...then join us today to grow your future earnings! *Study by N.C. Community College System and the N.C. Department of Labor

B C

C C

MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 55

Wendy Chandler, Becky Heath and Crystal Marriner

PERSONS YEAR

Y

ou have 25 calls that are absolute (nothing), but it’s the 26th call that reminds you why we do what we do,” said Becky Heath, a paramedic with Chocowinity EMS. That 26th call for Heath and fellow paramedic Wendy Chandler on the evening of Aug. 9, 2015, was when a Ford F350 truck and a motorcycle collided at the intersection of U.S. Highway 17 and N.C. Highway 33, within earshot of Chocowinity EMS. It was the proximity 56 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

OF THE

Story and photo by Vail Stewart Rumley

of the accident to paramedics that saved the life of former Beaufort County Sheriff Alan Jordan.

“We were there, literally, within seconds,” Chandler said.

The quick response, a tourniquet and back up from Chocowinity Volunteer Fire Department set the rescue in motion. At Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office 911 center, telecommunications supervisor Crystal Marriner called for Vidant Medical Center’s EastCare helicopter transport, the fast response ensuring Jordan made it to the Greenville trauma center.

Each has been recognized for her role, along

with EMTs Josh Cutler and Michael Stox, in averting tragedy. But each, equally, humbly takes it in stride. To them, they were only doing their jobs.

“That is just an example of everything we train for, unfortunately, every day. It’s just a big example of how EMS has evolved in Beaufort County,” Marriner said. “Everything about that call was treated the same way it would be for the other 40,000 calls. … The efforts of everybody as a whole really made a difference, and somebody lived.”

The whole to which she refers is all first re-

sponders — EMS personnel, law enforcement, firefighters and telecommunicators, all of whom play a part in the county’s emergency system. The three women may have played pivotal roles in the events of that night, but they see their work as part of a greater effort that comes from the close-knit community of all first responders, those dedicated to the wellbeing of county residents and visitors alike.

“The volunteer fire departments are awesome,” Heath said. “They’ve given their time to do training to step up and help us, and that is absolutely priceless. … All of our jobs are important, but it’s a combined effort between fire departments, law enforcement and EMS. … We had each other’s backs (that night) and we had (Jordan’s) back, too. It’s simple — we take care of each other.

We learn together, we cry together, but we do the very best for every call.”

The joint effort is part of a greater plan for the county’s emergency services, in which each agency works to provide more information and more assistance to ensure the best outcome possible for any emergency. It started a few years ago, as one by one, EMS squads began making the transition to paramediclevel. Beaufort County Community College started offering paramedic-level training. Volunteer firefighters began training to assist with pit crew CPR — a rotation of those doing chest compressions during cardiac emergencies — followed by those same squads going through first responder training, certifying them to provide basic medical care on the scene. Beaufort County EMS was established, filling gaps in paramedic-level service in key areas, and back up in others. Add to that county telecommunicators making the jump from

It takes kind of a different person to do this.

You’ve got to be able to detach yourself from it,

VIDANT HEALTH DIRECTORY FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY VIDANT BEAUFORT HOSPITAL ....................(252) 975-4100 BEHAVIORAL HEALTH Vidant Behavioral Health–Washington .............. (252) 946-3666 CARDIOLOGY Vidant Cardiology–Washington ............................ (252) 758-3211 FAMILY MEDICINE Vidant Family Medicine–Aurora............................ (252) 322-4021 Vidant Family Medicine–Chocowinity ................ (252) 946-9562 Vidant Family Medicine–Washington ................. (252) 975-2667 Vidant Multispecialty Clinic–Belhaven ............... (252) 944-2218 Coming in June 2016 GASTROENTEROLOGY Vidant Gastroenterology–Washington............... (252) 946-1573 HOME HEALTH AND HOSPICE Vidant Health Advanced Care Planning ............. (252) 382-3945 Vidant Home Health & Hospice ............................. (252) 847-2000

because if you can’t, it will pull you down. But

INTERNAL MEDICINE Vidant Internal Medicine–Washington .............. (252) 946-2101

it’s a very interesting field, a very satisfying field.

ONCOLOGY Marion L. Shepard Cancer Center ......................... (252) 975-4308

regular dispatch to Emergency Medical Dispatch, a protocol that defines a medical emergency and allows dispatchers to walk 911 callers through basic medical procedures. Twice since its launch in January, callers were able to start CPR before EMS arrived and the cardiac-emergency victims survived.

“Right now, Beaufort County emergency systems are better than they’ve ever been,” Chandler said.

But it takes the dedication of all involved.

“It takes kind of a different person to do this,” Heath said. “You’ve got to be able to detach yourself from it, because if you can’t, it will pull you down.

But it’s a very interesting field, a very satisfying field.”

Emergency services continue to evolve in Beaufort County. Heath, who became a basic EMT 35 years ago and a paramedic nine years ago, said it’s got a lot of growing to do, but is moving in the right direction. She’s watched BCCC’s first graduating class of paramedics — of which Chandler and Marriner were a part — move into their new roles and is helping to further their education in the field by sharing her decades of experience.

“I am so proud of these people. They have worked so hard to get to where they are,” Heath said.

Chandler, Heath and Marriner may be faces of the Washington Daily News’ Persons of the Year, but, separately, they each liberally spread the credit for the actions that saved Jordan that night to every first responder in the county. Jordan lost his left leg in the accident, but reclaimed his life, thanks to those who say they were only doing their jobs.

“The care he received is the care everyone receives,” Chandler said. “We’re there for everybody, just like we were there for him.”

ORTHOPEDICS Vidant Orthopedics–Washington ......................... (252) 946-6513 PULMONOLOGY Vidant Pulmonology–Washington ....................... (252) 974-7500 REHABILITATION (PHYSICAL AND SPEECH THERAPY) Vidant Beaufort Hospital Outpatient Rehabilitation–Washington............. (252) 948-4990 RHEUMATOLOGY Vidant Rheumatology–Washington .................... (252) 948-4990 SURGERY Vidant General Surgery–Washington ................. (252) 946-0181 UROLOGY Vidant Urology–Washington .................................. (252) 946-0136 WOMEN’S CARE Vidant Women’s Care–Washington (1210 Brown St.) Obstetrics and Gynecology .................................... (252) 975-1188 Vidant Women’s Care–Washington (1204 Brown St.) Gynecology and Primary Care ............................... (252) 946-6544 WELLNESS Vidant Wellness Center–Washington .................. (252) 975-4236

MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 57

Next responder Southside High student on a path to serve

By Jonathan Rowe | Photo by Will Preslar

Edwin Nunez is a leader in the making. He likes to help people. He likes to learn new skills, even if he never uses them. With focus and discipline, he is doing all that as a student at Southside High School Fire Academy.

It’s not easy, though. Public safety is a very serious and dangerous profession for those who respond to a situation, as well as those involved.

“There has to be a lot of communication or someone can get hurt,” Nunez said. “If you’re in a dangerous situation, you have to have open communication. You can’t have the mindset to be a hero because if you mess up, you can kill someone. You have to work as a team and get the job done together.”

Nunez has clearly learned about the importance of teamwork, something vital to first responders.

He never thought he would be undergoing rigorous coursework to become a first responder, he said. It was a chance to help people and become a better leader.

Through the course, he’s learned about the technical side of firefighting: how to open and close a fire hydrant, how to gauge the weight of an object that may need moving, tools of the trade and other things, Nunez says.

Instructor Otis Harrell said Nunez, like his classmates, will have to take a few courses at a community college to become certified in firefighting. However, the coursework as a high school student gives them an idea of what the real world of firefighting is like and an upper hand in potentially providing for themselves and their families. “(The course) gives them technical skills they can

58 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

always have to carry them into the workforce. It’s something that can lead them in the right direction rather than them drop out of school and go in the wrong direction,” Harrell said.

This is the case for Nunez. His projected career path is still up in the air, he said. He has a few ideas though: he might become an auto technician; he’s also thinking about joining the United States Marine Corp.

But one thing he is set on is becoming a volunteer firefighter to serve his community while working another job, he said. “(The Academy) has just helped me so much,” Nunez said. “Anything that helps me learn responsibility and become a better person. The thing I like most is the people you are around.

It’s almost like family.

We’re here for each other. We joke and laugh, but we also know when it’s time to get serious and focus.

"I’ve always said to myself, ‘Life is about learning.’ There’s always something new you can learn, even if you think it’s something that won’t help you. It can eventually. Just learn as much as you can. Be as smart as you can. Find out what you want to do. This coursework helps you open up with your friends and family, and you can find a way to help better yourself.”

MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 59

Ready to fly Student uses JROTC to prepare for her future

By Caroline Hudson | Photo by Will Preslar

Destiny Jones, 17, is no ordinary high school senior.

While most students her age are still trying to figure out what to do in life, or are just trying to make it through the next semester, Jones has a clear view of her interests and how they translate into the real world.

With a distinct curiosity about aviation, the Pantego resident has participated in Northside High’s Air Force JROTC program during her 10ththrough 12th-grade years, donning the starched blue uniform, with nicely shined shoes, every Wednesday during the semesters in which she participated.

But the original impetus for joining the military came from a much more practical place. Growing up, Jones said she was worried about finances and how to pay for college in the future, thus prompting the military idea, as it would help her with the costs of higher education.

Joining JROTC in 10th grade also started off as more of an athletic outlet for her during high school, rather than a stepping-stone into the Air Force. That point of interest would come later.

She had a slight fear of heights, or at least some nervous jitters, especially in the context of airplanes, and said she still doesn’t like the feeling in the pit of one’s stomach when it drops.

“I guess it’s just the thought of being so high,” Jones said. “I was just always worried about things like that.”

60 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

Upon actually riding in a plane, however, she fell in love with the feeling, floating on air with the world spread out below. She had this experience most recently riding in a two-seater at an ACE (Aviation Career Education) Academy at Elizabeth City State University during the summer of 2015.

“It was just me and the pilot and we rode in the airplane, and he told me about everything and we were talking through the headphones,” Jones recalled. The camp’s participants were also able to dabble in space aviation, as well as get advice from an Air Force fighter pilot.

As her graduation day approaches, Jones said she was encouraged to apply to different colleges and keep her options open — she may look into a career in sports medicine, which fits with her athleticism. She’s waiting to hear back from North Carolina A&T, Winston-Salem State University and N.C. Central University.

Even so, the Air Force is still very much on her mind.

“Yeah, I can see myself in the military,” she said. “To me, it’s just learning new things because, like, you can never stop learning.”

“I would probably still want to learn about every aspect of the Air Force,” she added.

Jones said she is also drawn to the disciplinary aspect of the military.

If she wholly decides on the military career path, Jones said she could also participate in a college ROTC program, thus being able to enter the military after graduation at a higher rank.

Either way, Jones remains as driven as ever, and with the skills she learned in JROTC, she’s ready for the road ahead.

MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 61

Love at first flip Tumbling, cheering a fixture in 16-year-old's life

By Michael Prunka | Photo by Will Preslar

Marlee Masten saw people flipping around a gym and wanted to do it herself. So that’s just what she did.

Masten, now 16 years old, was among the first girls to get involved at Tumble B Gym in Washington. She was on the gym’s junior and senior teams in her first year because she was old enough to age into both divisions. The teams were relatively new and didn’t do too well at competitions, but that didn’t stop Masten from getting hooked right away.

Things turned around quickly. Scarce success early on didn’t deter Masten from putting in the hard work to excel. She liked her coaches and, of course, loved flipping.

“My first year, it was like a second family to me and I didn’t want to leave them,” she said.

It soon started to pay dividends.

“The whole team has come a long way,” Masten said. “I’ve learned to tumble a lot better. We went from losing to winning first place every single time. We haven’t lost yet this year.”

A good bit of the work goes into conditioning. There’s a two-and-a-half-minute routine that requires the girls on the team to be moving nonstop. They have to be able to keep up for that entire routine. Masten also takes classes to perfect her tumbling techniques.

Masten enjoys traveling and the success of the Washington Elite All-Star Cheerleading teams has afforded her the opportunity to travel for some competitions.

62 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

She said Myrtle Beach has been her favorite destination so far, but the team will travel to Disney World at the end of April.

“Disney, for cheer, is absolutely crazy,” coach Misty Brown said. “They’re getting ready to build a huge facility up there just for cheer.

You go there and the entire park is sold out just with cheerleaders, so that’s a great experience for them.”

Masten has also gotten into the instruction side of tumbling. It’s something that stemmed from her love of the sport. She wanted to pass that along to others.

“I really like tumbling. The way I felt about it, if other kids felt that way, I would want to teach them,” she said.

Last summer, Masten was one of a few coaches who took time to learn how to coach children at the middle-school level. Lessons would be focused on the fundamentals. It was a bit of an eye opener, especially when it came to her relating to her coaches.

“You would think everyone knows the basics,” Masten said. “But they don’t and then you’re like, ‘OK, I’ve got to help this person.’”

On the other hand, it’s done a lot to help Masten get a firm grasp on the fundamentals.

Being taught is one thing, but one reaches a whole new level of understanding by teaching others.

“By teaching other people, I’ve taught myself in a way. I’ve learned new things. It’s awesome,” she said.

With plans to cheer in college, Masten is on a continuing path to use and share her already vast knowledge and experience with others.

We Want to Be Your PharmacY! The Areaʼs Largest Staff Of Local Registered Pharmacists & Certified Pharmacy Technicians Easy Prescription Transfers • Free Local Delivery Drive Up Window

Order Refills Online At: tayloeshospitalpharmacy.com Or Download Our Mobile App Through Google Play Or In The App Store.

Search "Tayloe's Hospital Pharmacy".

Neighbors serviNg Neighbors... siNce 1889

601 E. 12th St. Washington, NC Corner Of Brown & 12th Streets Near The Hospital 252-946-4113 MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 63

Spiritual support Terra Ceia student to spread gospel, serve missionaries

By Jonathan Rowe | Photo by Will Preslar

Missionaries are those who spread the word of God across the world and provide support to those deemed as lost. But who is there to support them when they become burdened by their situation?

That’s exactly what Rebecca Harrison aims to pursue after graduating from Terra Ceia Christian School. With plans to attend Columbia International University in South Carolina, studying psychology and minoring in global studies, she aspires to become a missionary that supports other missionaries in the issues they may face, whether it’s trouble adapting to a culture or stress from difficulty learning a new language.

Her plan certainly coincides with the university’s mission statement, “To know God and make Him known,” grooming each and every student, regardless of the field, to be representatives of Christ, Harrison says. “(Organizations) send trained counselors to work with the group because of dysfunction that may take place within the group,” Harrison said. “There’s a lot of stress that goes along with (being a missionary). It takes a lot of help. That’s where I would come in.”

She’s planning for this career because the profession is a perfect blend of the three things she loves the most — traveling, helping people and spreading the

64 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

gospel of Jesus Christ, she said.

She has already visited 10 countries; her father has been on several mission trips, and her uncle is a missionary in Manila, Phillipines. Not only is she passionate about her goal, Harrison said she also thinks it’s vital that the new generation of Christians grabs the torch and continues to spread the gospel.

“I don’t pursue this career from a responsibility for that,” Harrison said. “I think of it more as a passion. I’m excited that I get the opportunity to live in the steps of my uncle. My dad has also certainly taught me about using every opportunity to share the gospel. I’ve never been on an official mission trip, but everywhere we go, we treat it as such. We try not to waste any opportunities.”

Harrison’s schooling at Terra Ceia has groomed her for such a career, she said.

From a young age, she’s been involved in Bible classes that have taught her about her own faith and built the foundation needed to become a stronger Christian. She’s also been taught about other religions and how they’re different from Christianity.

At school and at home, she is steadfast in her faith — something that has meant different things to her at different times in life, she said.

“I think God’s definitely placed me where I need to be to get the training I need to enter the mission field,” Harrison said. “Right now, my faith means putting him before myself.

This career, unlike most careers, has benefits that will keep on giving into heaven, not only for myself, but also for others. This career gives me hope that my life will have been worth something.”

Discover the charm and beauty of

Belhaven

MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 65

Problem solver Seventh-grader learns life, career skills through STEM

By Caroline Hudson | Photo by Will Preslar

Give Vernon Collins Jr. a problem to solve, and more than likely, he’ll know just what to do.

The 11-year-old is well versed in using math and engineering concepts to create something new, using technology to make it happen and relying on science to make sure it works.

Collins has attended the afterschool STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) program, hosted by Beaufort County Police Activities League, for about three years now. The program’s participants have experienced everything from 3-D model building to go-kart racing to sailing to flying. They also have experience with cuttingedge technology, such as 3-D printing.

“I’ve always wanted to do it because he has so many fun things that you’re able to do and so many opportunities,” Collins said. “So far my favorite part of the STEM program is designing and flying.”

The students are also part of the Boys & Girls Club of Beaufort County, of which Collins’ mom, Mal, is the director. Those connections allow him to build bonds outside of the realm of school and instead think of long-term friendships, potentially lasting a lifetime.

Although it was nerve-wracking as an 8-yearold starting out in the STEM program, it turned out to be a good fit.

“I’m the only one in Chocowinity that does it. Usually people from Greenville and Washington do it,” he said. “After the first day, I knew it was going to be pretty

66 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016

fun and easy because all those people were so nice to me.”

Collins’ experiences have been invaluable, and they have also sparked interests within him for future career paths — right now he’s thinking of being a 3-D graphic engineer, although the possibilities are numerous. The STEM program encourages the students to think outside of the box and beyond the present, something that is not always the focus in the regular school setting.

“Everything that he (leader Jeremy PeangMeth) teaches you is sort of like something you’ll be able to do later in life,” Collins said.

But the career emphasis is just one piece of the puzzle in the world of STEM. Along with career mindedness, Collins’ STEM experience also teaches him valuable life lessons, about how to interact with people and look at situations in a different light, through the eyes of a problem solver.

“I’ve noticed that I know a lot more about things that I’m learning about in school,” Collins said. “Stuff is easier. … It helps me with my teamwork and cooperation.”

BCPAL President Al Powell, who is one of the driving forces behind the afterschool STEM program, said he thinks highly of Collins and is proud of the work he does, as it’s deserving of recognition.

Praise or no, Collins already knows the value of that which he’s a part. He hopes to continue with the afterschool program as long as he can.

“One of my favorite memories is just always, because just about every time I have friends there, and I can’t really have one fond memory there,” Collins said.

MARCH 2016 | PROFILE • 67

YOUR FRIEND IN THE

CAR BUSINESS!

OVER 300 VEHICLES TO CHOOSE FROM!

WWW.FEYERFORD.COM VISIT ANY OF OUR 3 LOCATIONS TODAY: Feyer Ford of Plymouth 454 US Hwy. 64 West Plymouth, NC 27962 68 • PROFILE | MARCH 2016 252-793-5123

Feyer Ford Lincoln Williamston 1677 Hwy. 17 South Williamston, NC 27892 252-792-4124

Feyer Ford of Edenton 504 Virginia Rd. Edenton, NC 27932 252-482-2144