Carver Nation Homecoming 2022 draws more than 2,000 alumni, partners, families and educators

BY FELECIA PIGGOTTLONG, PH.D.

More than 2,000 Yellowjacket enthusiasts exploded with Jacket pride during the Homecoming Weekend Party October 14-16. The Carver AllClass Reunion began as a homecoming tailgate event at Carver High School on Friday morning as alumni classes set up their tents throughout the parking lots and the stadium areas

Dr. Thyais Maxwell, principal of Carver, was so excited about this year’s homecoming festivities.

“Homecoming exceeded my expectations! To see our students, families, and alumni gather to celebrate Carver and the richness it holds was heartwarming,” said Maxwell. “Also, to see the hard work from the committee come together with such excellence, richness and love made me excited for the future of Carver. The best is yet to come!”

DeWayne Tillman, assistant principal and chairperson of the homecoming committee, was pleased with the outcome of the entire weekend.

“The planning committee included Howard Venable, Quiana Bazemore, Nicole Westbury, Jana Minor-Oliver, and Sharon Transou. In the beginning of our planning, I had no doubt that Carver’s homecoming would be one of the greatest events Carver has ever seen,” said Tillman. “That was just hopeful thinking, but each member brought a unique skill set that made the event enjoyable. It took hard work, and we had many obstacles to overcome.”

Howard Venable (‘87), behavior intervention specialist, said that this year’s homecoming was beyond his expectation.

“From my initial planning stage up to the culminating event, I did not anticipate such a huge and supportive turnout,” said Venable. “We started planning in May, working on marketing, small videos for social media, approval by administration, tailgating contacts, reaching out to the different classes. It was lovely. Next year, we want it to be bigger and better.”

The homecoming parade lined up at the Solid Rock Baptist Church, located at 3010 Carver School Road, around 3:30 p.m. Residents of Carver Road, students, and staff members of Carver crowded both sides of the street just to see the spectacle.

The joyful sounds of the Carver High School alumni band joined with the Winston-Salem State University Marching Rams, the Carver cheerleaders, the Sweet Stingers, the Band, the Carolina Cruisers Motorcycle Club, Forsyth Tech, The Winston-Salem High Steppers, and other dancers helped bring in the noise. Elected officials rode on shiny cars waving to the crowd; school administrators rode on the back of designer trucks; teachers threw handfuls of candy from the large sailboat they rode down the street, and spectators screamed and danced from the sidelines. This scene was Game On!

At 5 p.m. the alumni participated in registration and a welcome back meet and greet, and the tailgating officially began at 6 p.m. Kickoff for the game against Pine Lake Prep was at 7 p.m. The Yellowjackets partied the night away, enjoying good food, fellowship and the halftime festivities. Samantha Davis was crowned Senior Homecoming Queen, and Jon-Patrick Switzer was crowned Mr. 1936. Senior Ofelianni Medina Mariche was named Miss 1936. Leah Raeford was crowned Miss Carver, and Taalib-Din Grier was named Mr. Carver. Danae Schafer was Sophomore Princess, and Erick Lopez was crowned Sophomore Prince. Z’Rhyia Jones was crowned Freshman Princess, and Antonio Samuels was crowned Ninth-Grade Prince.

On Saturday, the Carver Classic featured an adult five-on-five basketball tournament at the school. The official Carver

Alumni All-Class Reunion Day Party was held at the ROAR Events Center on Liberty Street from 4 to 9 p.m. This gathering was hosted and the Carver Alumni Association. The music for the day party was powered by Barry Leach (’88). More than 400 alumni and visitors enjoyed the music, dancing, and socializing.

On Sunday, the Alumni Reunion Fellowship was held at Galilee Missionary Baptist Church where Dr. Nathan Scovens is the pastor. During the Sunday morning service, Carver Nation sat in a body. The band played at the church as well. The church members presented Carver High School with a check for $5,000 to assist with various school projects and programs.

Nicole Westbury, CTE

instructor, was honored to be a part of the planning committee. “As a firstyear teacher, being asked to be on the homecoming committee was a dream of mine. The success was the fruits of hard labor. I planned the parade and I enjoyed meeting Councilwoman Barbara Burke,” Westbury said.

Several sponsors, donors, and partners collaborated with Carver Nation on this project. They include the Galilee Missionary Baptist Church, Winston-Salem Sheriff’s Department, the WinstonSalem Police Department, Daisy A Day Florist, Modern Chevrolet, Flow Automotive, ROAR Events Center, Carver Alumni Association, Carver alumni, Brad’s Golf Carts, Grace Presbyterian Church, Coach Bill Hayes, and Winston-Salem State University. The administrative team of Carver includes Dr. Thyais Maxwell, Ashante Brooks, and Angela Alonzo.

“We are grateful to all donors, partners, sponsors, parade participants, alumni, and all Carver Nation supporters who made Homecoming 2022 enjoyable and phenomenal. We look forward to your continued support,” said DeWayne Tillman.

To help cope with losing her sister to domestic violence, Winston-Salem native Cassandra Bethea Shine started a blog where she wrote about her sister’s experiences in first person.

“Losing her was a very difficult process for me. She was almost like my twin sister,” Shine said. “So to deal with this tragedy I started writing about her experience through her voice in first person.”

Cassandra said she was devastated when she lost her sister Cheryl. In 2014 Cheryl Bethea was stabbed and killed by her boyfriend, Ferjus Moore. Shine said on the same day she was murdered, Cheryl filed a restraining order against Moore. In 2019 Moore accepted a plea deal with the state and was sentenced to 35-43 years in prison.

Shine said after she started the blog, dozens of women started reaching out to her and sharing their own experiences. What started out as just a way to cope with losing her sister led to Shine writing a book, “Her Voice Beyond the Grave: A Sister’s Cry to Sound the Silence in Domestic Violence.”

Last Sunday the Forsyth County Library and Bridges to Hope Family Justice Center of Forsyth County, partnered to bring Shine to the readers. During the event held at the Central Library, Shine sat down with DeWanna Hamlin, director of Bridges to Hope, to discuss the book and much more.

When asked what inspired her to write the book, Shine said it was the readers who felt a connection with her sister. She said she never imagined becoming a published author, but after connecting with so many women, she felt compelled to write her sister’s story.

About one in three women experience intimate partner violence. An average of three women are killed every day in the U.S. as a result of domestic violence.

“So many people resonated with Cheryl’s voice, so I thought it was very important to get her voice out there,” she continued. “Also, this was a way of leaving my sister in remembrance … so her death would not be in vain.”

Shine said she wishes she would have known the signs of domestic violence sooner. She said since doing the research and writing the book, she has learned