Rachel Sniff, a Southeast Middle School seventh-grade science teacher, has been selected to serve as a 2014-15 Kenan Fellow. The prestigious fellowship empowers educators to spearhead innovative teaching practices in North Carolina while remaining in their classrooms.
Sniff received her undergraduate degree in middle grades education from High Point University in 2012 and is now enrolled in the university’s master’s in educational leadership program. Her year-long fellowship will include significant research on the global education climate and STEM trends and the development of a STEM-based unit that will be shared with fellow educators on Learn NC in May 2015.
A five-week externship will also allow her to learn from and work alongside Sam Morris, the Worldwide Education Executive at Lenovo. Lenovo is a leading PC company committed to global and innovation educational practices.
In addition to her research, Sniff will contribute her findings to education journals, through presentations at state and national conferences related to solutions and trends in education around the world, and be involved in professional development institutes through the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching, N.C. State University, the N.C. Science, Math, and Technology Center and World Economic Forum.
The Kenan Fellows Program is offered through the Kenan Institute of Engineering, Technology & Science at N.C. State University. The program provides opportunities for development and advancement inspiring educators to drive innovation in North Carolina public schools.
Marley, a certified therapy dog with Canine Angels, Inc., visited with elementary students at North Hills Christian School.
Marley visits nursing homes, assisted living facilities, adult day care centers and schools. His handler is Norma Supping.
The pair were invited to North Hills to help students practice their reading skills.
Marley helps students feel confident and tries to be a warm, loving, non-judgmental friend.
Suppling and Marley listen to the children read and share stories about their pets and families.
Salisbury High School senior Samantha Washko was one of 2,500 students in the nation awarded a National Merit scholarship. She will receive a $2,500 scholarship.
Scholarship winners were chosen from a talent pool of more than 15,000 finalists in the 2014 National Merit Scholarship Program.
Winners are the finalists in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills and potential for success in rigorous college studies. The number of winners named in each state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the nation’s graduating high school seniors.
Nine students from Catawba College’s School of Evening and Graduate Studies were commissioned as junior marshals in an April 26 ceremony. Dean of the School of Evening and Graduate Studies Dr. Edith Bolick and College Marshal Professor David Pulliam officiated the ceremony.
These junior marshals were chosen from the junior class based on academic rank and are among the most honored students on campus. They embody the best of Catawba College in both academic achievement and service to the college community. They will represent the college in formal graduation week ceremonies, adding order and dignity to the proceedings.
The junior marshals for the 2013-14 academic year are Jennifer Marie Brown of China Grove, Robbie Lee Calloway of Lexington, Erica Nicole Cranfill of Mocksville, Anabel Santiago-Guerra of Lexington, Marcus David Fowler of Mooresville, Michael Lane Lyerly of Salisbury, Larry Donnell McGee of Salisbury, Christina Cline Potts of Salisbury and Emily Langley Williams of Lexington.
Five junior marshals from the 2012-2013 academic year also agreed to continue to serve during the 2013-14 academic year. They are Jason F. Cauble of Mooresville, Christopher Michael Driver of Winston-Salem, Matthew Lynn Gobble of Statesville, Cynthia Marianna Goodson of Mooresville and William Vanover of Concord.
The North Hills Christian high school Junior Civitan Club raised $2,400 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society with the “Pennies for Pasta” project.
Students, faculty and staff were asked to bring in any spare change found under car seats, between couch cushions, in pockets or after paying for meals and events.
The elementary students were given change boxes to take to and from school to carry their change in. Each day, the money was counted and the class with the most money was posted.
To make the competition more fun, students were able to sabotage other classes by filling their boxes with paper money, which subtracted from their running total.
The class that raised the most money won an Olive Garden lunch.

State Employees Credit Union members presented a $10,000, four-year college scholarship to Tiffany Graham, a senior at A.L. Brown High School via the State Employees Credit Union Foundation. This scholarship was awarded for study at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, part of North Carolina’s 16-campus University of North Carolina System.
Funded solely by Credit Union members and given based on the credit union’s philosophy of “People Helping People,” the scholarship recognizes the recipient’s community involvement, leadership skills, character and integrity, as well as scholastic achievement. The scholarship is provided for tuition and university-approved educational expenses over eight consecutive semesters.
Since its inception in 2005, the State Employees Credit Union Foundation “People Helping People” High School Scholarship program has provided $32 million in scholarships for North Carolina high school seniors.
Davidson County Community College is holding a job fair for businesses in the region looking for skilled workers to fill available positions, and for area residents and recent graduates seeking employment Tuesday.
Job fairs sponsored by the college allow employers to feature manufacturing jobs available in the Triad area and talk with potential employees. The college also assists job-seeking participants in preparing a resume, which is required for job fair entrance. The school also provides opportunities for participants to speak with a college academic adviser.
The job fair will be Tuesday from 9 a.m. until noon at the Davie Administration Building on Davidson County Community College’s Davie Campus, 1205 Salisbury Road in Mocksville.