Fifty-four Catawba College students were honored in a pinning ceremony Oct. 14 for their admission to the teacher education program. The ceremony, held in Tom Smith Auditorium, was sponsored by the Student North Carolina Association of Educators. Joy Jenkins, Cleveland Elementary School and Salisbury-Rowan Teacher of the Year, gave a brief presentation to attendees.
Admission to a teacher education program is not automatic. Admission requirements include successful completion of PRAXIS I standardized tests of reading, writing and mathematics; establishment of a 2.5 or better grade point average; and an interview. Applicants must also pass a criminal background check.
Those pinned during the ceremony were Alexa Baird, Plainfield, N.J.; Laura Bame, China Grove; Erin Blalock, Denver; Jennifer Collier, Lexington; Meredith Corl, Salisbury; Angela Draeger, Lexington; Cosandra Duffy, Rockwell; Megan Everhart, Mocksville; Kelli Ferguson, Raleigh; Deborah Griffin, East Bend; Denee Hairston, Lexington; Nancy Hamrick, Granite Quarry; Alanna Hege, Lexington; Stephanie Hill, China Grove; John Hoehman, Granite Quarry; Tyler Howe, Salisbury; Mark Ketterer, Hamilton, N.J.; Jacob Kittrell, Newton; Carissa Loflin, Lexington; Allison Marshall, Pleasant Garden; Jenna Matthews, Staunton, Va.; Andrea Mayle, Kannapolis; Adam Monteith, Salisbury; Matthew Moore, Mt. Ulla; Jonathan Oliphant, Mooresville; Shannon Parker, Advance; Melody Plott, Kannapolis; Zach Poole, Salisbury; Amanda Pullen, Mechanicsville, Md.; Patricia Queen, Lexington; Nanyamka Reid, Lexington; Laura Ritchie, Salisbury; Philip Russ, Casar; Laura Sale, Yadkinville; Blair Sanders, Mt. Pleasant; Elizabeth Sawyer, Salisbury; Blake Scearce, Salisbury; Lucy Scott, Mt. Pleasant; Susan Shinn, Salisbury; Brittney Shook, Claremont; Meredith Shultz, Richmond, Va.; Natasha Sifford, Salisbury; Christina Sinclair, China Grove; Elizabeth Sloop, Salisbury; Caleb Terry, Bahama; Hannah Thomas, Robbins; Hannah Vinson, Thomasville; Julia Walls, Kannapolis; Chelsea Watts, Marshville; Ricky Weaver, Cleveland; Eric West, Cleveland; Lori Wong, Salisbury; Brittany Wyatt, China Grove; and Felicia Youngblood, King. Dr. Tiffany Hunter of Salisbury was also pinned as the newest member of the teacher education faculty.
Faculty advisor for the organization is Amanda Bosch. Officers for the academic year are Laura Ritchie of Salisbury, president; Elizabeth Sloop of Salisbury, vice-president; Julie Gilley of Dobson, secretary; Stephanie Riddle of Faith, treasurer; Kristen Collins of Salisbury, senior class representative; Jenna Matthews of Staunton, Va., junior class representative; Brent Messenger of Kannapolis, sophomore class representative; and Jessica Everett of Winston-Salem, freshman class representative.
Students and their guests were invited to a reception in the Delhaize Atrium immediately following the ceremony.