News Briefs: Week of March 3

Posted

The Hawbridge School begins expansion project

SAXAPAHAW — The Hawbridge School has begun construction on a new 40,000 square foot school building which will significantly increase the public charter school’s current enrollment to serve students from kindergarten through 12th grade.

Staying true to the school’s vision of environmental stewardship and outdoor education, the new building has been designed to maximize opportunities for students to interact with their natural surroundings. With the expansion, Hawbridge will become one of only four public K-12 schools in Alamance County, though the school serves students from eight counties altogether. Construction on the expansion is expected to be completed by the end of 2021. Applications to enroll for the 2021-2022 lottery must be submitted by March 1 and can be found on the admissions page. Job postings for the expanded school may be found on the employment page.

Hawbridge melds academic excellence with an innovative curriculum of place-based education. Students explore academic concepts as they relate to both natural and social surroundings, and for the past several years, Hawbridge has had the highest SAT averages of high schools in Alamance County. The school places a strong emphasis on the environment, the arts, community engagement and personalized attention. Hawbridge is also known for its prioritization of inclusiveness and respect, and welcomes students and families from diverse backgrounds.

“We have a strong school culture that values individuality, mutual respect and acceptance” said Mya Ciccotti, executive director of The Hawbridge School. “While the expansion will allow us to serve more students, it will also give our students the opportunity to learn and experience this culture from an early age. Students will progress from kindergarten to high school graduation in a supportive and caring school community.”

Currently, many Hawbridge students find Hawbridge to be a welcoming “safe haven,” and the school draws many exceptional students, gifted learners and students who thrive in a less traditional learning environment.

As part of the place-based education learning model, The Hawbridge School has strong ties to the surrounding community in the small village of Saxapahaw. Students regularly intern with local businesses as part of the SaxConnex internship program, in addition to taking an active role in community projects, such as constructing riverside walking trails and installing informational signs around the village. Hawbridge plans to allow community members use of the new building’s trails, natural spaces, and gymnasium. “Our vision is a school as an active participant within the broader community,” said Todd Nicolet, chairperson of The Hawbridge School board.

For more information about The Hawbridge School and its expansion, visit www.thehawbridgeschool.org or http://www.facebook.com/hawbridgeschool.

— Cn+R staff reports

Nominations open for 2021 North Carolina Award

RALEIGH — Governor Roy Cooper is encouraging North Carolinians to nominate individuals for the 2021 North Carolina Award, the highest civilian honor bestowed by the state. The nomination period is open from now through April 15.

“This award is a great opportunity to celebrate the best of North Carolina and the resilient, generous spirit that defines our state,” Gov. Cooper said.

Created by the General Assembly in 1961 and administered by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, the award recognizes “notable accomplishments by North Carolina citizens” in the fields of literature, science, fine arts and public service.

Award nominations may be submitted by anyone and must include a completed nomination form, cover letter, three letters of support and the nominee’s biography or resume. Additional letters of support and examples of the nominee’s work will also be accepted.

Applications may be submitted online or materials can be sent to the North Carolina Awards Committee, N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, 4601 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-4600.

The North Carolina Awards Committee will review the nominations and make its selections this summer. The recipients will be honored later this year. Past award recipients have included some of the country’s most distinguished artists, poets, writers, performers, journalists, scientists and public servants.

Previous awardees include Maya Angelou, Doc Watson, William Friday, Gertrude Elion, Branford Marsalis and other noteworthy North Carolinians.

Information on the award and the online nomination process are available here. To receive forms by mail or e-mail contact Jennifer Fontes at Jennifer.fontes@ncdcr.gov or (919) 814-6756.

Library presents ‘Museum of Bad Art: Tough Times – Having a Bad Day to Dystopian Apocalypse’

PITTSBORO — Residents are invited to join the Chatham Community Library for a virtual program with Michael Frank of the Museum of Bad Art (MOBA) as he presents “Tough Times — Having a Bad Day to Dystopian Apocalypse” from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 13.

Art is known for helping get people through difficult times. In this presentation, MOBA explores some of the ways that artists react to both small and large, real and imagined, disasters.

Frank, the Curator in Chief of the Museum of Bad Art, is an acolyte who studied under the strict tutelage of the founding Esteemed Curator. Frank now heads the entire department. His appointment was due to his record of contributing more art to MOBA than anyone other than the Esteemed Curator, and because he already had a tuxedo. A professional musician and entertainer with enviable balloon-twisting skills, Frank lives in Boston, Massachusetts.

Individuals interested in participating in the program may contact Chatham Community Library Branch Manager Rita Van Duinen at rita.vanduinen@chathamlibraries.org for virtual meeting instructions and link.

This program is free and open to the public and is made possible with the generous support of the Friends of the Chatham Community Library.

— Cn+R staff reports

Chapel Hill nonprofit offers free FAFSA help to Hispanic high schoolers

Hispanic high school seniors in Chatham who haven’t yet completed the FAFSA form can seek help from LatinxEd, a Chapel Hill nonprofit dedicated to advancing educational equity for first-generation Hispanic college students.

Through March 7, college advisers with LatinxEd’s College y Consejos program will offer Hispanic seniors and their families free 30-minute sessions in which they’ll help them complete the FAFSA form (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). All sessions are online. Interested students and families can schedule appointments in bit.ly/cycFAFSA.

This FAFSA initiative — created in partnership with MyFutureNC’s First in FAFSA initiative — seeks to “ensure that Latinx students & families have the resources they need to complete their FAFSA,” per LatinxEd’s January newsletter. The First in FAFSA initiative aims to increase the number of high school seniors overall who complete the FAFSA.

In North Carolina, just over 40% of seniors have completed the form so far. By completing the FAFSA, eligible students can access Pell Grants, federal work-study and state financial aid, according to the January newsletter about the FAFSA initiative. Parents’ immigration status doesn’t hurt their students’ eligibility for financial aid.

LatinxEd’s daytime weekday appointments only offer assistance in English, while bilingual coaches will be available on weeknights and Sundays to assist families and students in Spanish. Once students and families make their appointments, they’ll receive a confirmation email with a list of documents they’ll need to bring to complete the FAFSA. The list will be in English and Spanish.

Appointments are open to high school counselors as well, and students and families don’t need to be associated with the organization to receive help. For more information, visit latinxed.org.

Gee named regional sales manager for Chore-Time

Brad Gee, a native of Siler City, has been named Regional Sales Manager for Chore-Time, according to Kevin Alger, Sales Manager, U.S. and Canada, for the CTB Inc. business unit.

Gee will cover Chore-Time’s northeast U.S. territory in this position.

Prior to his employment with CTB, Gee gained 17 years of experience working for one of the world’s largest poultry producers. He most recently held the position of broiler manager, in which his duties included managing overall grow-out across 10 counties, fostering relationships with contract growers and overseeing employees at the contract farms, among other responsibilities.

Gee attended N.C. State in Raleigh where he earned a degree in poultry science and swine technology.

Chore-Time (www.choretime.com) continues its tradition established in 1952 of leadership in the design, manufacture and marketing of equipment for poultry and egg production. With complete end-to-end systems for feeding, feed handling, drinking, egg handling, climate control and house management, Chore-Time is a market leader known for product performance, tailored solutions and a proven independent distribution network. Part of the CTB, Inc. family of companies, Chore-Time operates globally from facilities in Indiana, Alabama, the Netherlands and Poland.

— Cn+R staff reports