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Today’s Email Announcements

Foxx Announces 2016 Teacher in Congress Internship

Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., is encouraging local teachers to apply for the 10th annual Teacher in Congress Internship.

“The Teacher in Congress Internship was created to offer teachers a taste of the real workings of Congress and the day-to-day life of a member of Congress,” said Foxx. “This program provides the participating teacher with a tangible way to give students a look inside the federal government and hopefully inspires the next generation of North Carolina public servants with a vibrant civics education.”

The paid internship will take place in Foxx’s Washington, D.C., office from July 8-15, 2016. In addition to attending committee hearings, mark-ups and floor debates, the participating teacher will receive an introduction to the legislative process, briefings with House committee staff and tours of the U.S. Capitol, Library of Congress and area museums.

Preference will be given to applicants who live in the 5th District, teach at a public or private school in the 5th District and teach grades 9-12 during the 2016-2017 school year. Applicants must be available to arrive in Washington on the afternoon of Friday, July 8, 2016, for orientation and stay for the duration of the internship.

Applications are available online at www.foxx.house.gov/teachers. Applicants should submit a completed 2016 Teacher in Congress Internship application form, accompanied by a cover letter, resume and sample lesson plan by June 3, 2016.

Completed applications may be submitted via email to TeacherInCongress@mail.house.gov or by U.S. mail to U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, Attn: Teacher in Congress, 3540 Clemmons Road, Suite 125, Clemmons, NC 27012.

Each application will be reviewed and one teacher will be selected to participate. Applicants will be notified by email of the selection results after June 6, 2016. Assistance will be offered to arrange renewal credit where applicable. However, the selected intern is responsible for making all transportation and lodging arrangements.

Those with questions regarding the 2016 Teacher in Congress Internship may contact Foxx’s office at (202) 225-2071.

Paws for a Cause Doggie Fun Walk and 5K June 4 in Newland

Paws for a Cause is a FUN-draiser taking place in Newland to benefit the hard work that the Avery Humane Society does every day. All proceeds go to provide necessary supplies, medicine, treatments, love and shelter for Avery County’s animals in need.

Visit https://runsignup.com/race/nc/newland/pawsforacause for more informatino or email pawsforacauseavery@gmail.com.

Soil and Water Board to Meet May 25

The Watauga Soil and Water Conservation District Board” will hold its regular Board meeting Wednesday May 25th, 2016 at 8:00 am at the Soil & Water Office located at 971 West King Street, Boone NC 28607.The public is invited to attend.”

CCC&TI Honors Adult High School and GED Graduates with Special Ceremony

Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute held its annual Adult High School and High School Equivalency graduation exercises on Thursday, May 12, at the J.E. Broyhill Civic Center in Lenoir. The ceremony honored 129 new graduates.

Larry Taylor, Chairman of CCC&TI’s Board of Trustees, opened the ceremonies with a welcome and spoke briefly about the class of 2016 and its accomplishments. Taylor noted graduates hailed from communities across Caldwell and Watauga counties and ranged in age from 17 to 47.

Margaret Hampson, Vice President, Curriculum and Adult Education, recognized the recipient of this year’s Distinguished Alumni Award, Roger Whisnant. The award recognizes an alumnus or alumnae of the GED/AHS program who epitomizes the philosophy that the AHS or High School Equivalency diploma is a new beginning and who has worked to achieve additional credentials, a career with life sustaining wages, and who is representative of what hard work, persistence and motivation can achieve. After completing his GED and taking college courses at CCC&TI, Whisnant completed his college degree at Wilkes Community College and now has a career with Alexander County Child Protective Services.

Kim Hinton, College and Career Readiness Department Chair, offered special thanks to the Foundation of CCC&TI for its help covering the cost of GED testing for students. “Your Foundation has assisted every graduate on this stage with the cost,” she said.

Hinton also recognized this year’s 23 honor graduates who were distinguished by their gold tassels. Honor graduates must either score above 3,000 on GED tests or maintain at least a 3.0 GPA in Adult High School courses.

In a special presentation, Hinton also presented a commemorative bell to President Dr. Kenneth A. Boham, who is retiring in June after 21 years at CCC&TI. “You are a champion for students at all levels,” Hinton said, adding that a bell is rung each time a student completes their degree.

Graduate speakers at the event included Raven Broyhill, Patricia A. Garrett, Daniel Keller, Sandy Miller and Taisha Perez.

It was a career change, after more than 13 years in the furniture industry, that led Patricia Garrett to CCC&TI for her high school equivalency. “In 2015, I applied for a position at Hospice,” she said. “Unfortunately I did not qualify for the position, not due to lack of skills, but because I did not have my high school diploma.” A year later, Garrett has graduated and is ready to pursue her career at Hospice.

Taisha Perez said that earning her high school equivalency has helped her complete a personal transformation as she faced many obstacles. “To my fellow graduates and even to someone in the audience who thinks they are not good enough for something or they can’t accomplish anything, I ask that, as I did, you try and push that aside and keep your head high and tell yourself you can do it. It’s up to you to believe it and show it in what you do because people can talk and bring you down all that they want, but the only person that can change the people telling you that you can’t is yourself,” she said.

Daniel Keller, who hopes to enlist in the U.S. Army one day, expressed his appreciation for his supporters. “I never could have done this without the support of my family and the guidance of my teachers,” Keller said. “I want to thank my teachers for all the support they have given me.”

Raven Broyhill encouraged her classmates to take pride in their accomplishments. “Some people think just because I didn’t go to a traditional high school that my diploma means less. Well, I can tell you that they are so wrong,” Broyhill said.

Watauga Campus High School Equivalency graduate Sandy Miller shared her gratitude for her education, as well as the support she received after losing her job and returning to school later in life. She also offered some wisdom: “William Arthur Ward made this statement in 1841, ‘There are four steps to achievement. Plan with purpose, prepare with prayer, proceed with positivity, and pursue with persistence.’”

Boham, was joined by Superintendent of Caldwell County Schools, Dr. Steve Stone to make diploma presentations.

Boham closed the ceremonies, congratulating graduates for their achievements and bestowing upon them the official rights and privileges associated with their degrees. Amidst the cheers and applause of students and audience members, Boham had graduates ceremoniously turn their tassels to indicate their official graduate status.

A reception in honor of the Class of 2016 was held following the ceremony.

For more information on CCC&TI’s Adult High School and High School Equivalency Programs, call 828-726-2230 (Caldwell) or 828-297-5253 (Watauga) or visit www.cccti.edu

Dailey & Vincent with Jimmy Fortune May 14 at the Walker Center

The Walker Center, on the campus of Wilkes Community College, will present Dailey & Vincent with Jimmy Fortune on Saturday, May 14, at 8 p.m. This performance is sponsored by Hampton Inn of Wilkesboro, Holiday Inn Express of Wilkesboro and visitwilkesboronc.com.

Award-winning Dailey & Vincent and legendary 21-year Statler Brothers member Jimmy Fortune join forces to provide audiences with a unique and spectacular show that exhibits the industry’s top mesh of vocals and hit music. This ‘quartet-style show’ features the rich blend of vocals performed by Jamie Dailey, Darrin Vincent, Jimmy Fortune and Aaron McCune. Other members of the band are Jeff Parker, B.J. Cherryholmes, Jessie Baker, Buddy Hyatt and Shaun Richardson, who joined the band last month.

Collectively, this collaboration has accumulated multiple Grammy nominations, Dove
Awards, 13 IBMA Awards (including three-time Entertainer of The Year and three-time Vocal
Group of The Year wins), 23 awards from SPBGMA (The Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America) and has penned No. 1 hit songs such as “Elizabeth,” “My Only
Love” and “Too Much on My Heart,” in addition to “More Than A Name On A Wall” and
“On The Other Side.” Performing together for only a limited amount of dates a year, this show makes for an unforgettable night of Country and Bluegrass music.

Dailey & Vincent, is the top touring American bluegrass act. Jamie is a skilled musician, vocalist and songwriter, with a gift to entertain and always make folks feel right at home. Darrin is an accomplished musician and vocalist with expert abilities to arrange and create captivating music. Jimmy Fortune is a premier American country music vocalist, musician and songwriter. He is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

A limited number of tickets are available for this performance. For more information, or to purchase tickets, contact the Walker Center Box Office at 336-838-6260 orwalker.boxoffice@wilkescc.edu<mailto:walker.boxoffice@wilkescc.edu>. Visit the Walker Center online at www.walkercenteronline.org<http://www.walkercenteronline.org> or on Facebook.

The John A. Walker Community Center is dedicated to being this region’s primary venue for cultural experience and to serving as the preferred gathering place for meetings, receptions, conventions, banquets and parties for our community.

The Walker Center and Wilkes Community College are 100% Tobacco Free.

Wilkes Community College, a member of the North Carolina Community College System, is a public, two-year, open-door institution serving the people of Wilkes, Ashe and Alleghany counties and beyond. Established in 1965, WCC continues to build on a strong history of meeting the educational needs and cultural interests of our students, community and workforce. WCC prepares learners for success in a dynamic world.

ChickenFest Set for May 27-29 in Wilkesboro

ChickenFest, hosted by The Record and presented by Tyson Foods, will be held Friday, May 27; Saturday, May 28; and Sunday, May 29, at The Record Park at the corner of Fourth and E streets in North Wilkesboro.

This is the 11th annual ChickenFest, a free-to-the-public event, which is a celebration of the area’s rich musical heritage and the poultry industry. Vendors sell all chicken dishes including barbeque chicken, chicken barbeque, chicken sandwiches and chicken hotdogs.

Friday evening of the festival kicks off at 6 p.m. and runs until around 9 p.m. Saturday’s music begins at 11 a.m., and includes a noon-time flag raising ceremony by VFW Post 1142’s Honor Guard. Music runs to around 9 p.m. Sunday’s program begins with an 11 a.m.church service conducted by Arbor Grove United Methodist Church, with music running from noon until mid-afternoon.

A children’s play area, which features bubbles, balls, tea parties, sidewalk chalk and books, will also be available.

Among the local acts and musician lined up to perform on the Sammy Lankford Stage and Tut Taylor Spotlight Stage in the Tyson Pavilion are:

The Ward Eller Band, Summit Strings, Larry Griffin, R.G. Absher and the Backwater String Band, Linda Cabe, Don Brown, Chris Eller and Ruby Williams, Gabriella Lankford, Jerry Lankford, Emma Avari, Lauren Stutts, Devin Huie, The Dixie Duo, Hard Tymes, Ernest Johnson, Ralph Clanton, Padraic Wildermuth, Dvaughn Ladd, Rev. Dr. Susan “Susie” Pillsbury-Taylor, Adam and Ray Winebarger, Bobby Billings, Crabgrass, The Josh Perryman Band, Doreen Pinkerton, Adam Younce, Uncle Joe and the Shady Rest, Brown Spotted Bananas, The Catawba Boys, Tatum and Heidi Holloway, Jimmy Owen, The Elkville String Band, David Johnson, Eric Ellis, and more.

Seating is available beneath the American Drew Audience Shelter, or bring your own lawn chair.

ChickenFest is an alcohol-free family oriented event.

For more information about ChickenFest call 336-667-0134, or visitwww.therecordandthursdayprinting.com