Sacred Heart School celebrated Earth Day with outdoor learning stations for students. Guest speakers helped teach students about the Earth and the role humans play in helping it.

Sacred Heart is committed to teaching students through experiences and activities, with many learning opportunities outside on campus nature trails, in outdoor and sensory gardens, and in beekeeping and chicken coop habitats.

Earth Day stations included:

• Building bat boxes with Randy Cox for Leopold Society and Three Rivers Landtrust.

• Wildlife Officer Ashley O’Hare.

• Crafts with 4H and Beth Stebe.

• Environmental research with Taylor Parker, a University of North Carolina at Charlotte Ph.D. candidate.

• Healthy Earth Day snacks with the Sacred Heart PTO.

• Baby ducks and duck genetics with Michelle McCashin.

• Snakes with middle school science teacher Hillary Shores.

Horizons to host ‘Rock the Dome’

From 5 to 10 p.m. May 17, Horizons Unlimited will host a laser light program at Margaret C. Woodson Planetarium. A different offering is planned on the hour. Tickets are required. Shows include:

• Summer Cruisin’ at 5 p.m. featuring hit songs like “Mustang Sally,” “Drag City” and “Drive My Car.”

 • Laser Beatles at 6 p.m. featuring the Beatles album “Abbey Road.”

• Laser Zeppelin at 7 p.m. featuring hit songs like “Black Dog,” “No Quarter” and “Rock ‘n’ Roll.”

• Laser Metallica at 8 p.m.

• Laser Pink Floyd at 9 p.m.

Admission to each show is $5 per person. Guests are encouraged to arrive at least 15 minutes early.

Those who pre-register on EventBrite and submit tickets with their payment will be entitled to priority seating.

For questions, email Kathy Ender at enderka@rss.k12.nc.us or call Horizons Unlimited.

Kids race zucchinis at Jiggy With the Piggy

KANNAPOLIS – Last Saturday, children raced zucchinis in the Kids’ Zone at the Jiggy With the Piggy Festival. Children used their imaginations to create the fastest and most nutritious cars with the supplies of vegetables provided to them. Winners took home prize packages from sponsors the 600 Festival and the Cabarrus Convention and Visitors Bureau.

 The winners, by age category, are:

6 and younger

• First place: Emery Feser of Kannapolis.

• Second place: Jaxon Jordan of Kannapolis.

• Third place: Avery Foote of Huntersville.

• Most Nutritious: Jett Berry of Chapin, South Carolina.

• Most Creative: Max Schmidt of Harrisburg.

Ages 7-10

• First place: Finn Hughes of  Edenton.

• Second place: Ryan Metcalfe of Davidson.

• Third place: Austin Metcalfe of Davidson.

• Most Nutritious: Jaylie Sniffin.

• Most Creative: Peyton Rutherfod of Kannapolis.

Ages 11 and older

• First place: Holden Ignaczak of Charlotte.

• Second place: Kenton Fincher of Kannapolis.

• Third place: David Medina of Kannapolis.

• Most Nutritious: Caleb Casper of Rockwell.

• Most Creative: Lilly Schieve of Charlotte.

Faith American Legion Auxiliary announces Tar Heel Girls State selections

Faith American Legion Auxiliary 327 has selected three young women to sponsor as they attend the 80th session of American Legion Auxiliary Tar Heel Girls State this summer.

The local students who will attend are Sophia Brown, Grace Curlee and Victoria Post of Carson High  School.

Girls State will be held June 9-15 at Catawba College. Featuring presentations from top state government officials, the leadership development program is offered to rising high school senior girls who explore how government functions by creating their own state government.

Girls State participants develop two fictitious political parties, party platforms, campaigns and conventions, culminating with the statewide election of state officers. Parliamentary procedure is used to conduct all sessions, including legislative assemblies in which bills and resolutions are drafted for the General Assembly.

The installation of state officers, a variety showcase, engaging speakers and a college fair are some of the highlights of the week.

The North Carolina Girls State program began in 1939 and is the longest continuously running session in the nation. Other state programs were temporarily suspended during World War II.

Girls State is sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary, Department of North Carolina.

Nuts, Bolts and Thingamajigs announces 2019 manufacturing camp grant recipients

ELGIN, Ill. —  Nuts, Bolts and Thingamajigs, the foundation of the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association International, has announced that 131 programs across the United States will receive grants and support to hold manufacturing camps this summer.

They include Rowan-Cabarrus Community College in Salisbury and McDowell County Schools Career and Technical Education in Marion.

The foundation will award a total of $259,500 in grants, ranging from $1,000 to $2,500, along with support materials to community colleges and technical high schools offering summer day camps. Camps introduce young people, ages 12 to 16, to careers in manufacturing and engineering.

Nuts, Bolts and Thingamajigs also provides each camp with entrepreneurship curriculum guides, customized T-shirts, marketing help, and other materials. Each camper receives a free license to SolidWorks CAD/CAM software.

Major sponsors of the foundation’s camps program are the CNA Foundation, SolidWorks Corp. and Miller Electric.