Catawba College

SALISBURY — Catawba College’s department of teacher education held an opening celebration for all teacher education students in Peeler-Crystal Lounge on Sept. 18. A “meet and greet” reception was held prior to the program that was designed to welcome and inform students of the opportunities for students of education.

Dr. James Stringfield welcomed guests to the opening celebration and pinning ceremony sponsored by the department of teacher education, the Academy for Teaching and the Student North Carolina Association of Educators (SNCAE). Christina Thacker, 2017 cohort of West Scholars, presented a brief overview of the Academy for Teaching and activities of the West Scholars, and the West Scholars attending the program were recognized.

Brittany Hager of Salisbury, president of Kappa Delta Pi an international honor society in rducation, informed guests of the requirements for joining group and member benefits and current members were recognized.

Zach Alford, president of the Student North Carolina Association of Educators, gave a brief presentation about association activities and encouraged students to join the organization.

Association vice-president, Leah Terraglio, gave a description of the pin at the beginning of the pinning ceremony.

Twenty-seven education students were honored in the formal pinning ceremony, which marked their admission to the teacher education program at Catawba College. Admission to a teacher education program is not automatic. Admission requirements include the successful completion of PRAXIS CORE standardized tests of reading, writing, and mathematics and the establishment of a 2.75 or better grade point average. Applicants must also pass a criminal background check. Drs. Kim Creamer and Donna James assisted with the pinning.

Those who were pinned during the ceremony from the traditional day program at Catawba included: Abigail Adams, Piedmont, S.C.; Thomas Brackett, Salisbury; Luis Campa, Bluffton, S.C.; Gregory Florio, Lake Wylie, S.C.; Amy Hedrick, Mooresville; Maggie Huffman, Conover; Kaitlin Koons, Pilot Mountain; Zachary Lecius, Fort Myers, Fla.; Zachary Mayo, Mt. Pleasant; Brittany McGee, Salisbury; Kevin Norton, Hamlet; Tyler Sabolovic, Rutherfordton; Margaret Smith, Salisbury and Christina Thacker, Mooresville.

Those pinned from Catawba’s birth through kindergarten program included: Elena Avilez, Salisbury; Burnita Branch, Charlotte; Christina Brown, Kannapolis; Keeshan Brown, Concord; Jennie Burkhart, Lexington; Nicole Craver, Lexington; Meliya Harris, Granite Quarry; Jessica Honeycutt, Faith; Lindsay Miller, Mocksville; Alicia Olvey, Thomasville; Karla Patino, Charlotte; Robin Walker, Salisbury and Felicia Wesley, Salisbury.