SALISBURY – Livingstone College has been awarded a $500,000 grant to preserve its historic Monroe Street School property.

The award, announced and administered by the National Park Service, is part of $14 million in African American Civil Rights Historic Preservation Fund grants that will finance 51 projects across 20 states and the District of Columbia to preserve sites and history related to the African-American struggle for equality in the 20th Century.

Monroe Street School, located at 1100 West Monroe Street across from Livingstone College, was the first high school – J.C. Price High School – constructed for African Americans in Salisbury. It was a high school from 1923 until 1938 when a larger high school was built due to overcrowding. The new facility on Bank Street became J.C. Price High School and the former school on Monroe Street was renamed Monroe Street Elementary School, serving as a public school in some capacity until the 1980’s when it was sold to Livingstone College.

It is currently named the S.E. Duncan Education Center, in honor of the fifth president of Livingstone College, Dr. Samuel Edward Duncan. In 2003, the property met the historic designation for both education and ethnic heritage and was designated an historical site by the U.S. Department of Interior National Park Service.

The building, last used as the West End Head Start Center and Livingstone’s Education Department, has been vacant for about 15 years due to unabated asbestos. Dr. Carolyn Duncan, Livingstone College director of grants, student scholarships and special projects, said the grant will be used to stabilize deterioration, preserve the structure and repurpose the building, including securing an engineer’s assessment and an architect’s design; repairing the roof, windows and doors; removing trash and debris inside and out; and abating environmental concerns.

“Preserving the Monroe Street School is the next logical step for this historic property,” Livingstone President Jimmy Jenkins said. “The significance of the history of the building, the architectural design, and the physical location in the West End community is a visual reminder of the history and the progress of the city in race relations and the cultural significance of the African-American contributions to the city.”

Seitz Continues Serving as Student Body Treasurer

RALEIGH – Faith Native Garrison Seitz was elected to his second term as Student Body Treasurer at North Carolina State University, representing approximately 37,000 students at the university, N.C. State Board of Trustees, and UNC Board of Governors.

Business officially began for the 100th session of the university’s student government association on April 8.

As treasurer, Seitz leads all financial processes within Student Government, and oversees and facilitates the dispersal of approximately $400,000. In the 99th session, he led the overhaul and restructure of the Treasury to be more accessible and efficient for students. He serves on the Senate Finance and Tuition and Fees Committees, and leads the Appropriations Council.

Since starting his term, Seitz has worked to support students impacted by changes caused by COVID-19. He has helped release a statement offering support to students, helped release the #ThinkAndDoATHOME campaign to keep the campus connected, co-hosted a virtual Student Government Town Hall, and is collecting feedback to understand the concerns and struggles students are facing in light of COVID-19.

Throughout his tenure in Student Government, Seitz has served as a student senator representing the College of Engineering, and was the treasurer for the 99th Session. He is a rising junior studying civil engineering.

Crosby Scholars Scholarships

Since 2016, Crosby Scholars Rowan has hosted an annual Senior Gala to celebrate its graduates and announce students’ post-secondary plans. Like many events this spring, the Crosby Gala was canceled due to COVID-19. However, the staff came up with other ways to honor graduates

“One of the special aspects of the annual Senior Gala is having the honor of revealing the names of our scholarship recipients,” Crosby Scholars Executive Director Jessica Vess said.

Local donors and community partners have provided more than $16,000 in scholarships that were to be announced this year to Crosby Scholars seniors.

Staff, board members and scholarship donors participated in a three-day scholarship parade across Rowan County to surprise students at their homes with the news . From Cleveland to Spencer, and Salisbury to China Grove, a caravan of vehicles decorated in Crosby Scholars car magnets traveled 150 miles to award 25 scholarships to students from seven county high schools.

The 2020 Crosby Scholars scholarship recipients are:

• Paul Fisher Scholarship: Mario Garrido-Lecca (ERHS)
• Sue P. Fisher Community Service Scholarship: Mahogany Koontz (RCEC)
• Goodwill Willpower Scholarship: Thomas Bost (JCHS)
• Joyce Kohfeldt Determination Award: Grace Hodge (WRHS), Lilly Huebner (RCEC), Alyssa Lopez (SHS), Victoria Post (JCHS)
• John A. Carter Memorial Scholarship: Tyler Johnson (ERHS),
  Runners-up: Morgan Coble (ERHS), Elise Bost (JCHS)
• John O. Reynolds Memorial Scholarship: Grace Webb (WRHS),
  Runner-up: Sarah Grooms (RCEC)
• Antonio and Victoria Munoz Scholarship: Marlin Quintero (SHS), Jennifer Morales-Mendoza (SHS), Sebastian Bodine (ERHS)
• Bob Casmus Medical/Healthcare Scholarship: CeCe Williams (RCEC)
• Michael McDuffie Memorial Scholarship: Sebastian Bodine (ERHS), Victoria Post (JCHS), Jailene Trejo-Garcia (SHS), Kayla Sechler (SRHS), Lizbeth Lopez (NRHS), Grace Hodge (WRHS)
• David Post Public Service Scholarship: Taron Lilly (RCEC),
  Runners-up: Savannah Pless (JCHS), Morgan Coble (ERHS)

Gardner-Webb honors

BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb University recently recognized undergraduate students for academic excellence and outstanding service and leadership. Winners of these awards exemplify the University’s core values of faith, service and leadership in their classrooms and communities.

In honor of the award, each student may choose one book for purchase by Gardner-Webb’s Dover Memorial Library. The book will be inscribed with the student’s name and the date of the award presentation.

Celsea Reeder, of Salisbury, was presented the Stefka Eddins Undergraduate Research Award. This honor recognizes a student in Natural Sciences for demonstrating a commitment to and excellence in undergraduate research by execution and completion of a collaborative student-faculty project.

Leah Jancic, of Cleveland, received two awards. She was presented the Professor James Rash Award for exhibiting outstanding creativity, productivity, craftsmanship and presentation in the areas of ceramics or sculpture.

The award is given in honor of Professor James Rash who taught ceramics, art appreciation, drawing and painting for Gardner-Webb from 1965-1980. Jancic was also awarded the Art History Research Award, a monetary award presented to the student whose research results in a well-written paper that clearly presents an original idea in the field of art history.

Key Club Core Values Scholarships

Congratulations to the following local high school students for winning the 2019-20 Key Club Core Values Scholarship sponsored by The Kiwanis Club of Salisbury:

• Charles Braeden Durham, North Rowan High School
• Jacob Daniel Kisamore, East Rowan High School
• Roshen Chetan Amin, Salisbury High School
• Taylor Alyssa Conrad, Jesse Carson High School

Kiwanis Club of Salisbury awards each recipient a $1000.00 scholarship to apply toward college expenses in honor of their dedication to the values of leadership, character building, caring, and inclusiveness.  These are the core values of Key Club organizations as established by Kiwanis International.  The scholarships are awarded based on academic excellence, service to others, and participation in Key Club.

St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church scholarships awarded

The following 11 members of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church  are recipients of either $500 per-semester scholarships for four-year institutions or $250 per-semester for vocational and technical scholarships.

• Granger Patton Askew, a graduate of East Rowan High School, will be a sophomore at East Carolina University this fall.
• Shelby Loran Brady, a graduate of East Rowan High School will be entering Guilford Technical Community College this fall and North Carolina State in the spring as a freshman. She plans to major in business administration management.
• Claire Cynthia Collins, a graduate of East Rowan High School, will be entering the University of North Carolina at Charlotte this fall as a freshman. She plans to major in architecture/biology.
• Macie Grace Curlee, a graduate of East Rowan High School, will be sophomore at Wingate University this fall. She plans to major in nursing.
• Connor Kenneth Erbsen, a graduate of Eastland Jr./Sr. High School is Lanark, IL will be a junior at Iowa State University this fall. He plans to major is agronomy/ag systems technology/animal science.
• Jocelyn Page Miller, a graduate of East Rowan High School, will be a sophomore at the
  University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill this fall. She plans to major in Biology and minor in chemistry.
• Reaghan Lynn Moore, a graduate of East Rowan High School, will be entering Pfeiffer University this fall as a freshman. She plans to major in business.
• Michaela Domicia Patterson, a graduate of Gray Stone Day School, will be a senior at Catawba College this fall.
• Amy Payton Rawson, a graduate of Mount Pleasant High School, will a senior at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. Payton plans to major in architectural
  engineering.
• Katelyn Marie Sprinkle, a graduate East Rowan High School, will be a sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington this fall. She plans to major in public health.
• Victoria Jane Trexler, a graduate of East Rowan High School, will be a junior at North Carolina State University this fall. She plans to major in civil engineering.