Woodleaf Citizens
Woodleaf Elementary School recently recognized the following students as February Good Citizens:
Kindergarten: Larry Gobble, Megan Nicolosi, Sean Ketchie, Kaitlyn McDaniel, Austin Morgan, Bo Dutton, Patricia Lynn Nichols, Isac Rosales and Jessica Arteaga.
First grade: Evan Baty, Madison Turner, Dalton Parker, R.J. Shoe, Justin Livengood and Bryant Collins.
Second grade: Colby Eagle, Martina Baker, Madison Jones, Amber Rogers, Vanessa Privette and Michael Walls.
Third grade: Branden Clontz, Jeremy Price, Rivers Sides, Destiny Williamson and Jacob Boyd.
Fourth grade: Jordan Ratliff, Dagan Williams, Ashton Byrne, Tasha Carter, Anthony Honeycutt, Payton Peterson, Austin Morrison and Micquel Grimes.
Fifth grade: Autumn Hobbs-Mullins, Denny Triche, Malik Thompson, Brianna Nelson, Katie Fowler, Brittanie Shepherd and Miguel Fajardo.
Sound of America tour
Virginia Anne “Ginny” Weant, a sophomore at Salisbury High School, has been selected to perform as a vocalist with the Sound of America Honor Band and Chorus, a national performing organization.
Weant will join other selected musicians from across the country for the 2008 European Concert Tour in July.
She is also a member of the Salisbury High School Honors Chorus and was selected to perform in the N.C. High School State Honors Chorus last November and led to the attention of Sound of America.
She also participated in the N.C. All-State Chorus and will perform in the Rowan All-County Chorus. She has studied piano and voice with Frances McGill for 10 years.
Weant has performed leading roles for Piedmont Players in 13 children’s plays over the past seven years. She was featured in Godspell with the Catawba College Theatre Department, sings with her family in “A Night on Broadway” at assisted living centers, churches and other community functions and performs at fund raisers.
After four days of rehearsal at Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, Pa., the Sound of America group will begin its 25-day, 10-performance concert tour in Frankfurt, Germany. The students will also visit Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France and Luxembourg.
Values institute
Catawba College Chaplain and Senior Vice-President Dr. Kenneth Clapp participated in the recent Institute on College Student Values on the campus of Florida State University in Tallahassee.
Sponsored by the Hardee Center for Leadership and Ethics in Higher Education, the institute focused on ways colleges and universities can create conversations among diverse constituencies that can lead to greater understanding and positive responses to today’s “hot topics” facing the academic community. 
Cabarrus honor lists
Rowan County students have been named to fall semester honor lists at Cabarrus College of Health Sciences in Concord.
Those named to the chancellor’s list achieved 3.5-4.0 grade-point averages. They are Amanda Durham, Cindy Godwin, Allison Huffman, Cassie Kizziah, Anna Lacey Loflin, Jessica Lyons, Amanda Montgomery, Regan O’Brien, Heather Parks, Valerie Rakes, Autumn Ryan and Meredith White.
Students who achieve a 3.0-3.49 grade-point average were named to the dean’s list. They are Jonathan Abernethy, Katie Funderburk, Alan Gross, Jamie Hesson, Carrie Hutchinson, Laura Hutchison, Molly Lassiter, Kasey Lazenby, Erin Moore, Justin Raper, Angie Richardson, Tabitha Robinette, Brenna Stevens, Sabrina Stroud, Holly Tadlock and Rachel Witt.
Also Rowan students Katie Funderburk, Carrie Hutchinson, Laura Hutchison, Jessica Lyons, Valerie Rakes and Autumn Ryan received Louise Harkey Honors Awards of $100. These awards are given to all full-time nursing students who achieve a 3.25 or higher grade-point average during any regular fall or spring semester.
Four get tenure
Tenure for four faculty members has been unanimously approved by the Catawba College Board of Trustees.
They are Melissa “Missy” Barnes, assistant professor of theatre arts; Dr. Michael Bitzer, assistant professor of political science; Dr. Julie Chamberlain, assistant professor of music; and Dr. David Schroeder, assistant professor of English.
Trustees were informed that the faculty tenure and promotions committee had also approved promotions in rank for four faculty members, effective with the advent of the 2008-09 academic year.  Bitzer will be promoted from assistant to associate professor of political science; Chamberlain from assistant professor to associate professor of music; Dr. Mark Sabo from associate professor to professor of chemistry; and Professor Christopher Zink from associate professor to professor of theatre arts.
At the February meeting, the trustees recognized one of its members, Salisbury attorney Glenn Ketner Jr., as a trustee emeritus. Ketner, who served more than 30 years as a trustee, has decided to step down from active service.
The Board welcomed alumnus Curtis Easter, class of 1965, of Lexington, S.C., as a new member. He was elected at the October 2007 trustees’ meeting.
Trustee Chester A. “Junie” Michael III, class of 1970, of Mooresville was recognized by his peers as an exemplary leader for chairing Catawba’s recent Endowing Catawba’s Future campaign, which met its $35 million goal in less than two years. By the end of the five-year campaign, the college expects to receive more than $40 million in pledges and gifts to the endowment. 
Michael received an original painting of his Winston-Salem Parkway Ford dealership completed by Catawba College senior McKenzie Burman of Rolesville. 
Trustees observed a moment of silence in memory of Dr. Bruce F. Griffith, 1962 Catawba graduate and professor of history who died Feb. 12 after 44 years at the college.  College Provost Dr. Jesse McCartney told trustees that the faculty senate had voted to honor Griffith with the 2007-08 Trustee Award for Outstanding Service to the College.
In other matters, the Board set tuition for the 2008-09 academic year at $22,290, room at $4,480 and board at $3,220, for a total cost of $29,990, which keeps it 13th in cost among the 39 private institutions of higher education in the state.