SECU scholarships awarded

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) members via the SECU Foundation, presented a $10,000 four-year college scholarship to Andrew Eller, a senior at South Rowan High School. The scholarship was awarded for study at University of North Carolina-Charlotte.

Funded solely by Credit Union members and given based on SECU’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.

The foundation also presented a $10,000 four-year college scholarship to Azania Merl, a senior at A.L. Brown High School. The scholarship was awarded for study at University of North Carolina-Greensboro.

Cleveland Elementary awarded grant

Cleveland Elementary School is one of more than 500 schools across the United States to be awarded a Lowe’s Toolbox for Education Grant for improvement projects during the 2016-2017 school year.

“We are very excited to announce that our students will be designing 21st century hydroponic and aquaponic gardens,” said Cleveland Elementary Technology Facilitator Lynn Bradley. The students will participate in all aspects of creating the program that includes science, technology, engineering and math investigations, 3-D design and creation, hydro/aquaponic gardening and food production.

The Innovation Station will be equipped with many new and exciting items that promote creating an indoor garden. Students will also be involved in the design of these vertical gardens by utilizing 3-D printing technologies.

“The Lowe’s Toolbox for Education program delivers on Lowe’s commitment to improve the educational environment for students across the country,” said Maureen Ausura, chairwoman of the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation. “We’re honored to work with Cleveland Elementary to support the needs of our local students, teachers and families.”

Cabarrus College of Health Sciences 

Capping ceremony

Cabarrus College of Health Sciences associate degree nursing program held its capping and pinning ceremony for spring 2016 graduates on Monday, May 9. Forty-three female nursing students were capped and three male students were pinned during the ceremony, held at Connect Christian Church. This is a special ceremony for nursing students as they embark on their new career as a nurse. The nurse’s cap has always held a ceremonial purpose. Historically, the presentation of a white cap to a novice nurse signified the completion of classroom theory and the beginning of hospital training. With an increasing number of men entering the nursing profession, the use of the nurse’s cap and traditional white dress has been replaced by colorful—and comfortable– nursing scrubs. Today, the presentation of the white nurse’s cap or the placement of the pin on the lapel of a male nursing graduate serves as a symbolic welcome into professional nursing practice.

Commencement

On May 10, Cabarrus College of Health Sciences held their Spring Commencement at the Kannapolis Performing Arts Center on the campus of A.L. Brown High School. Students’ earned, master, baccalaureate and associate degrees, and diplomas. This spring marked an exciting milestone for the college as the inaugural class of master of occupational therapy students graduated.

Connie C. Bonebrake, MSW, LHNA, was the keynote speaker. She is senior vice president and chief patient experience officer for Carolinas HealthCare System. Bonebrake and her team partner with Carolinas HealthCare System teammates and providers across the enterprise, patients and their families to ensure the people, processes and technologies of Carolinas HealthCare System bring value, reduce avoidable suffering and promote the health of those served across the continuum of care.

The college honored several graduates with awards during the ceremony. The awards and their recipients are the Dr. Linny and Joyce Baker Pediatric Nursing Award, Kristen Zell; Cannon Best All Around Nursing Student Award, Britany Goodman; W.R. Floyd Surgical Nursing Award, Travis Adams; Best All-Around Allied Health Student Award, Krystal Kreiling; Elizabeth R. Mabrey Distinguished Baccalaureate Merit Award, Angela Broderick; Edith M. Dennis Service Award, Heidi Bishop; Robert L. Wall Leadership Award, Brandon Sides; Baccalaureate Academic Achievement Award, Angela Broderick, Tanya Tucker-Hyatt and Mirjana Leonetti; Anita H. Talbot Academic Achievement Award, Melissa House; and the George A. Batte, Jr. Scholastic Achievement Award, Malinda Doyon.

Five undergraduate students were chosen, based on academic achievement, as graduation marshals for the ceremony. They were Madison Weast, Chief Marshal, Nicholas Alfieri, Morgan Holbrook, Brooke Jordan and Morgan Lowder.

After the conferring of the diplomas, the chairman of the College’s Governing Board, Paul T. Campbell, MD, provided the closing remarks.