VGCC and N.C. Wesleyan education clubs partner on project
The Student North Carolina Association of Educators (SNCAE) chapter at North Carolina Wesleyan College, in partnership with the chapter at Vance-Granville Community College, recently received a grant from the National Education Association’s Community Learning Through America’s SchoolS (CLASS) program. On March 16, students from NCWC, located in Rocky Mount, traveled to meet their counterparts at VGCC’s main campus in Vance County face-to-face and celebrate their accomplishment. What started as an academic exercise for education students at NCWC eventually became a successful NEA grant application that will fund a new “Parent Resource Library” on the campus in Rocky Mount. The grant guidelines required a partnership between students at two different educational institutions, and VGCC agreed to participate. The resulting library will serve parents in the communities around the two colleges with information, materials, resources and learning activities, and will particularly target parents of special needs children.
“We are extremely happy and thankful to have Vance-Granville’s chapter as a grant partner,” said Dr. Patricia Brewer, an assistant professor of education and SNCAE advisor at NCWC. “I hope that VGCC will benefit from examining what we are doing as their SNCAE chapter considers preparing its own similar grant application. Writing a grant is a great learning process for future educators.” She invited VGCC education students and advisors to the library’s grand opening in April.
At VGCC, the SNCAE advisors are Jacquelin Heath, head of the college’s School-Age Education program, and Tracey Bennett, an instructor for the Early Childhood Associate program.
Student North Carolina Association of Educators is a pre-professional organization for college students who are preparing for careers in education, with chapters at colleges and universities across the state. SNCAE is a division of the larger North Carolina Association of Educators, the leading professional organization for educators in North Carolina. VGCC was the first community college in the state to establish a chapter of SNCAE. VGCC students in education, early childhood or college transfer courses are eligible to join the chapter.
Above: Members of Student North Carolina Association of Educators (SNCAE) from North Carolina Wesleyan College and Vance-Granville Community College gathered on VGCC’s main campus in March to celebrate a grant received from the National Education Association. Seated, from left, are NCWC student Carrisha Reid, who serves as her chapter’s president and coordinator of the new Parent Resource Library; VGCC chapter advisors Jacquelin Heath and Tracey Bennett, NCWC advisor Patricia Brewer, VGCC student Lori Burney, NCWC student Dana Peacock and VGCC student Kini Heyl; standing, from left, are NCWC students Jessica Powell, Carylon Phillips and Susan Lucas, and VGCC students Rose Taylor, Amanda Pelkie, Rori George, Dannette Spencer, Goldie Davis and Barbara Perry. (VGCC photo)
