The South Rowan Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter in China Grove has received a $2,500 grant as part of the FFA: Food For All program. The nationwide program provides money to local FFA chapters to support year-long service-learning projects that address local hunger needs.
The South Rowan FFA plans to help fight hunger by raising chickens for egg and meat production and growing various vegetables on the agriculture department’s land laboratory. The fresh eggs, poultry and fresh vegetables will be donated to Main Street Mission in China Grove and to the Unity Mobile Meals program at Unity United Methodist Church. FFA members will care for layer chickens and collect their eggs; raise and process broilers and plant, raise and harvest vegetables in an effort to provide fresh, healthy foods for local residents in need. This is the third year that the South Rowan FFA Chapter has received this grant.
The FFA: Food For All Grants are sponsored by RAM, Farmers Feeding the World, the Donaldson Foundation and Monsanto as a special project of the National FFA Foundation. In addition, the FFA: Food For All is part of the National FFA Organization’s Feeding Our World — Starting at Home Initiative. More information about the program can be found at FFA.org/foodforall.
The faculty of Catawba College’s psychology department, Dr. Lyn Boulter, Dr. Erin Wood and Dr. Sheila Brownlow, as well as several students, will travel to the Southeastern Psychological Association’s annual meeting in Nashville, Tenn., March 5-8. Students attending include Leah Ryan of Westborough, Mass.; Kedtrin Gallagher of Little River, S.C.; Cinthia Rodriguez of Salisbury; Emily Carlton of Winston-Salem and Olivia Laspina-Williams of Marshall. In addition, Dr. Pamela Thompson, the Ketner School of Business interim dean, and one of her students, Laurel Powell of Mooresville, will attend a portion of the meeting to present the results of their research collaboration with Boulter.
Wood will present her research into the role of smartphone wellness apps and health outcomes in a poster titled, “The role of smartphone ‘apps’ in health-related self-efficacy reports.” She is linking people’s beliefs about their ability to control their own behavior and the surrounding environs (also known as “health self-efficacy”) in support of their own health: physical, emotional and otherwise.
Boulter, Thompson and Powell will present their research, “Data mining: Searching for hidden knowledge in student retention data.” Data mining uses techniques that go beyond statistical analysis to uncover hidden information data. Applying data mining techniques, the authors combined data from several sources to identify student retention information. Preliminary results show the benefit of geographical and other methods of clustering in order to improve the predictors for retention.
Carlton, Gallagher, Conner and Brownlow will present the results of their fall 2013 research, “The effect of ego depletion on implicit bias toward Latinos.” Their study examined differential achievement- and affect-laden linguistic responses to job candidates by cognitively-depleted and non-depleted students.
Ryan and Patterson will present their research through the undergraduate poster venue. Their work, mentored by Brownlow, is “Women athletes’ spatial performance after priming.” The research examined how priming for success or failure influenced mental rotation abilities for women on sports teams.
Salisbury Academy student Roshen Amin won the Western Region Intermediate Non-Public Spelling Bee.
Competing with 21 students from seven North Carolina independent schools, Amin won the event held at Salisbury Academy after 20 rounds of competition.
“It is obvious that all of the participating students are dedicated to success; it was a very exciting competition,” said Salisbury Academy Middle School Division Director Heather Coulter. “Roshen put a great deal of work into preparing for the bee, and I am delighted that his diligence earned him a spot in the Winston-Salem Journal Regional Bee.”
Allison Brower, a seventh-grade student from Pine Lake Preparatory School in Mooresville was the runner-up.
Salisbury Academy fifth-grade student Tom Bristol made it to round 10, and Elsie Richter, the only third-grade student to compete in this bee, made it to round three of the competition.
Amin, a sixth-grade student, will now move on to the Winston-Salem Journal regional bee that will be held on March 23 at the Milton Rhodes Center of the Arts in Winston-Salem. The winner from that bee will advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.
The Volunteer Auxiliary of Lake Norman Regional Medical Center is taking applications for two $2,000 academic/need-based scholarships to be awarded to graduating high school seniors in the hospital’s service area. The scholarships are intended to encourage the study and, ultimately, participation in medical and health-related professions.
Students pursuing a degree or certification program in the medical field are encouraged to apply. Seven scholarships will be given based on academic performance and financial need. One scholarship is designated for a junior volunteer from Lake Norman Regional Medical Center who demonstrates outstanding participation in the program and potential for success in the healthcare field.
Applications are available through local school guidance counselors or by email at mlsgrandma@aol.com. Candidates must complete an application form and provide documentation of acceptance into an accredited healthcare education program. The application deadline is April 21.
Carson High School’s Booster Club and Parent Teacher Association are hosting the third annual all-you-can-eat seafood festival and oyster roast Saturday, March 8, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the school.
The evening will include music and fellowship. The menu includes oyster stew, steamed oysters, shrimp, fried flounder, hot dogs, french fries, hush puppies, slaw and tea or water.
Tickets are $30 and include the all-you-can-eat seafood buffet. For an additional $10, access to the oyster bar is added. A couple’s ticket, which includes the buffet and oyster bar for two, can be purchased for $70. Children 12 and under eat free. Tickets are available through today, Feb. 27. For ticket and sponsorship information, contact Sherry Wilson Boyd at 704-403-1042.
Proceeds will benefit the athletic, student and staff recognition programs.
Rowan-Salisbury Schools in conjunction with the Carolina College Advising Corps and Rowan Crosby Scholars are holding an “Understanding Financial Aid” night presented by the College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC). This free event is for all Rowan-Salisbury School System juniors and seniors and will be at 6 p.m. on Thurs., Feb. 27 at Horizons Unlimited, 1636 Parkview Circle, Salisbury, NC 28144.