Ten Complete Truck Driver Training At Vance-Granville Community College
Graduation for the 486th class of the North Carolina Truck Driver Training School also turned into something of a farewell celebration on June 26.
Johnston Community College in Smithfield operates the truck driver school, but its instructors take its vehicles around the state to conduct the training. Class 486 trained at Vance-Granville Community College’s main campus, the 19th class held at VGCC, and the graduation was held in Henderson.
Joining more than 20,000 other graduates in the history of the school were Scott Harris, Sheron Hicks, Daniel Lee and Wade Stamper of Henderson, Melissa Ramirez of Kittrell, Albert S. Booker and Gregory Ragland of Oxford, Timothy Matthews of Butner, Shirley A. Hill of Littleton, and William Ward of Durham.
The farewell celebration was for Ron Nichols, director of Truck Driver Training at Johnston C.C., who retired June 30 after 27 years with the school. He was a 1974 graduate of the school and joined as an instructor two years later.
Nichols said he had been to 173 graduations, and speaking at the VGCC school graduation would be one of his last duties.
Nichols said the school is well respected in the trucking industry, and a certificate from it would almost guarantee a driver a job. “But it will not guarantee you success,” he said. “Only your effort will do that.”
There were two things Nichols emphasized to the graduates. “First, a good attitude is the best quality you can possess, more important than skill and experience,” he said. “You can’t overcome a bad attitude.”
Secondly, he urged the new drivers to make a commitment to the company they go to work for. “Give them fair and reasonable service, abide by their policies and be loyal,” he advised.
Sherby Slaughter, president of Sherman & Boddie Inc., a trucking company in Oxford, presented scholarships to the top students in the class. He established two Academic Achievement Award scholarships at Vance-Granville Community College, in honor of Harold L. Sherman and in memory of W.W. Boddie Sr., founders of his trucking company.
This year’s scholarships went to Timothy Matthews, who finished first in the class, to Melissa Ramirez, second, and William Ward, third.
Slaughter reminisced that he graduated from the truck driver school 40 years ago. Nichols said that Slaughter was responsible for bringing the school to Vance-Granville and that Slaughter is a member of the Truck Driver Hall of Fame.
Chris Chappell, lead instructor of the school, quoted legendary football coach Vince Lombardi, saying, “Those that do the common things uncommonly well become champions. We expect you to become champions of the road.”
Anyone interested in attending future truck driver training at Vance-Granville Community College should contact Herbert Washington, counselor, at (252) 738-3228.
Shown above
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graduates of the 2003 Truck Driver Training School at Vance-Granville Community College are, front, from left: Timothy Matthews, Wade Stamper, Shirley A. Hill, Melissa Ramirez and Albert Booker, and back, from left: William Ward, Gregory Ragland, Scott Harris, Sheron Hicks and Daniel Lee.
